Double iSmart OTT Response: Worse Than Theatres?

After a string of failures, director Puri Jagannadh found success with Ram Pothineni’s 2019 hit, Ismart Shankar.

However, his next film, Liger (2022), turned out to be a huge box-office disaster. Hoping to bounce back, Puri teamed up with Ram again for Double Ismart (2024), the sequel to iSmart Shankar.

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Unfortunately, this action drama also received a mixed-to-negative response, eventually flopping at the box office.

Following its theatrical failure, the film premiered on Amazon Prime Video within 21 days of its theatrical release, only to face further criticism.

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Viewers slammed the movie for its excessive use of foul language, and one user even shared a screenshot from the film, pointing out continuity errors.

“There are many scenes that frustrate the audience, but I was done after seeing this. The hero is stabbed before the fight, but once he takes off his shirt, there’s no wound. If you can’t even put in minimum effort while writing, Puri Jagannadh, it’s time to retire,” the user wrote.

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The film’s pre-climax scene, where actress Pragathi chases Ram’s vehicle is being mercilessly trolled and has become a subject of memes. While Ram’s performance, despite his best efforts, was seen as wasted in the poorly executed film.

The Ali comedy track, in particular, received harsh backlash for its crass writing and inappropriate dialogue, with one user who watched Double iSmart on OTT saying, “It’s shocking no one warned Puri that the film was doomed the moment he wrote the disgusting Ali’s character, Boka.”