If all had gone right, the much-anticipated film 45, with debutant Arjun Janya — a household name in music now stepping behind the camera — and starring Dr Shivarajkumar, Upendra Rao, and Raj B Shetty, would have released in cinemas on August 15. Instead, fans will have to wait a little longer. The culprit? A mountain of unfinished CG work, handled by none other than Canada’s prestigious MARZ studio.
“This is the first Kannada film to have our involvement, and it’s a proud moment,” said Yash Gowda, VFX supervisor and head of MARZ. “We’ve worked on over 500 Hollywood films in the last fifteen years. But 45 is special — graphics play a crucial role in this story. The work is intense, and it’s taking longer than expected. That’s why the August 15 release didn’t happen.”
45 has been on the radar since its very announcement. Backed by producer M Ramesh Reddy under his Suraj Productions banner, the film generated buzz earlier this year with its teaser, and fans were eagerly awaiting its release.
The scale of the project, however, brought bigger challenges. Hollywood technicians are also part of the CG pipeline, making 45 the first Indian film to employ such extensive visual effects. “The VFX is not just an add-on here,” Yash Gowda explained. “It’s integral to the narrative. That’s why it demands time — and precision.”
So, when will audiences finally get to see this pan-India spectacle? Yash Gowda offered a timeline: “We expect to wrap up all VFX work by September 16. Post that, there’s about a month’s buffer for finishing touches. By October 16, we will be ready with complete CG work.” He also apologised to Kannada cinema lovers for the delay, assuring them that the final product will be worth the wait: “This will be a film with world-class technology.”
For now, fans of Dr Shivarajkumar, Upendra Rao, and Raj B Shetty will have to wait for the new release date. Going by insiders, 45 is likely to arrive in November or December, although an official announcement is still awaited.
