Rakul Preet Singh reacts to Jaya Janaki Nayaka making global history with 1 billion views on YouTube for its Hindi dubbed version.
Rakul Preet Singh is thrilled as her 2017 Telugu film Jaya Janaki Nayaka has made global history, becoming the first film ever to cross one billion views on YouTube in its Hindi dubbed version (Khoonkhar).
While speaking with Hindustan Times, the actress shared that for her, the number feels unreal. “When you convert that into footfalls in theatres, it’s an insane number. Even Dhurandhar would have been watched by one crore people, so one billion is amazing,” she said, admitting that she checked YouTube herself to believe it.
She also cleared the air about the film’s journey, stressing that it was never a failure as claimed by certain media outlets while reporting its latest milestone. “We had celebrated its success back then. Bellamkonda (her co-star Bellamkonda Sreenivas) was new, but Boyapati Srinu was already a big director and his films always connect with audiences. This was a loved film,” the actress.
For Rakul, the milestone is proof of how the digital wave has changed the game for South cinema after 2020. She said that she believes YouTube’s reach is opening new doors for films, especially those that may not get theatrical screens. “Smaller films, festival films, or even original content could find space here. The more platforms achieve milestones like this, the more opportunities it creates for makers to experiment,” she told the publication.
With one billion views, Jaya Janaki Nayaka has not only rewritten records but also shown how digital platforms can give films a second life, and Rakul Preet Singh sees it as the start of even bigger possibilities for cinema in the online age.
Jaya Janaki Nayaka revolves around Gagan (Bellamkonda Sreenivas) and Sweety (Rakul Preet Singh) who fall in love but face family opposition, leading to heartbreak and fierce battles.
