Telugu Film Khoonkhar Becomes First Feature Movie to Hit One Billion YouTube Views

Photo Collected

A+ A A-

The Telugu action film *Jaya Janaki Nayaka* has secured a unique place in cinematic history, becoming the first full-length feature film in the world to surpass one billion views on YouTube. Its Hindi-dubbed version, titled *Khoonkhar*, achieved the milestone, marking a stark contrast to the project’s original theatrical run.

Directed by Boyapati Srinu and released in 2017, the film originally struggled to find its footing at the box office. Starring Bellamkonda Saini Sreenivas and Rakul Preet Singh, the production—which carried a budget of approximately 400 million rupees—failed to resonate with cinema-goers, grossing only half of its production cost and leaving distributors with significant losses.

The narrative surrounding the film shifted dramatically in February 2019, when the Hindi-dubbed version was uploaded to the PEN Movies YouTube channel. Over the ensuing years, the film garnered a massive digital following, eventually cementing its status as a global streaming phenomenon.

Yami Gautam to Lead Cast of Sujoy Ghosh’s Kahaani 3

Read More

Expressing his gratitude on social media, director Boyapati Srinu acknowledged the milestone, describing the achievement as a testament to the enduring support of the audience. Analysts point to this record as a clear indicator of the surging popularity of South Indian cinema within the Hindi-speaking market, noting that the combination of high-octane action sequences and free accessibility on digital platforms has successfully bridged the gap to a new generation of viewers.

The accomplishment distinguishes *Khoonkhar* from other regional titles that previously flirted with similar metrics. While the Hindi-dubbed version of the Allu Arjun-starrer *Sarrainodu* had approached the one-billion-view threshold, technical issues involving the deletion and re-uploading of the original file prevented it from officially claiming the record. Consequently, *Khoonkhar* stands alone as the first feature film to formally achieve this digital landmark.