Mohanlal’s Hridayapoorvam, directed by Sathyan Anthikad, released in theatres on August 28 and opened to positive reviews. Audiences praised its feel-good tone, yet the film ended its theatrical run with only an average status.
The main reason was competition from Lokah, which released the same day as an Onam special. Many viewers chose Lokah over Hridayapoorvam, leaving Mohanlal’s film struggling to hold strong numbers in cinemas.
From September 26, Hridayapoorvam started streaming on JioHotstar in Malayalam, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, and Hindi. Audiences who missed the theatrical run are now catching up on OTT and sharing their opinions online.
Some viewers say the film is a neat family entertainer with Mohanlal’s strong performance and comedy that works well. They do feel the runtime drags, suggesting at least 20 minutes could have been trimmed for better flow.
Others point out that the story slowed down after the first hour, filled more with moments than progression. For them, Hridayapoorvam works as a one-time watch, but nothing beyond that.
Before its OTT debut, Malayalam trackers predicted it would be a blockbuster online, believing feel-good films usually perform well on digital platforms. But the current feedback shows mixed reactions instead of the expected success.
Overall, Hridayapoorvam has surprised many with its lukewarm OTT response. How it sustains on JioHotstar in the coming days will decide its final standing with audiences.
