‘Premalu’ removed from OTT before Hindi remake hits theatres, fans unhappy

‘Premalu’, the Malayalam romantic comedy that became one of the biggest hits of recent years, is no longer available on JioHotstar. The film’s removal comes ahead of the theatrical release of its Hindi remake, ‘Prem Keetanu’, sparking disappointment among fans of the original.

The development comes shortly after the release of the one-minute trailer of ‘Prem Keetanu’ on Monday. Directed by Apoorv Singh Karki, the Hindi adaptation stars Veer Pahariya, Aafiya Sayed, Aparshakti Khurana, Rakesh Bedi and Nikhil Vijay, among others. The film is scheduled to release in theatres on October 2.

There has been no official explanation for the removal of ‘Premalu’ from JioHotstar, but its timing, coinciding with the promotional campaign for the Hindi remake, has led to speculation that the two developments are connected.

For fans of ‘Premalu’, however, the disappearance of the film from the platform has been difficult to take. The film, which was a theatrical success in 2024, has remained popular on OTT, particularly among younger viewers who embraced its humour, characters and music.

Social media was soon filled with reactions to the film’s removal. One user tagged Bhavana Studios and wrote, “Premalu has been removed from Hotstar. @BhavanaStudios get the film back to some other OTT platform ASAP pls.”

Another questioned whether taking the original off streaming platforms would make a difference to the remake’s prospects. “Why this circus of removing the original from OTT and all as if that's going to save them?” the user wrote.
The removal also drew frustration from fans who have been following Girish A D’s upcoming projects. “The more I see Gireesh AD's new movie stuff on Twitter, the more I'm enraged that Premalu is no longer on @JioHotstar,” another user posted.

Starring Naslen and Mamitha Baiju, ‘Premalu’ follows Sachin, a young man who travels to Hyderabad hoping to make a fresh start, only to find himself falling for Reenu, an ambitious young woman with little interest in settling down. The film turns their unlikely romance into a series of awkward encounters, misunderstandings and friendships, capturing the uncertainty and humour of young adulthood.

The film was a major turning point for both Naslen and Mamitha, turning them into two of Malayalam cinema’s most recognisable young stars. It also cemented Girish A D’s reputation for making youthful, character-driven comedies, following ‘Thanneer Mathan Dinangal’ and ‘Super Sharanya’.