Box office flop to YouTube sensation

Rakul Preet Singh starrer Jaya Janaki Nayaka first Indian film to cross 1 billion views 

Actress Rakul Preet Singh recently expressed her happiness as her 2017 Telugu romantic action film Jaya Janaki Nayaka achieved a major milestone, becoming the first Indian film to cross 1 billion views on YouTube. The Hindi-dubbed version of the film, titled Khoonkar and uploaded by Pen Movies, has also garnered over 1 billion views on the platform.

Directed by Boyapati Srinu, the film stars Rakul and Bellamkonda Sreenivas in the lead roles. Although the film did not perform well at the box office upon its release and was considered a commercial flop at the time, it has now gained massive popularity on digital platforms years later.

Reacting to the achievement, Rakul shared a heartfelt note, saying, "Some characters stay with you forever, and Janaki will always be one of them. Thank you for all the love you’ve shown and for making Jaya Janaki Nayaka the highest-watched Indian film on YouTube ever. This is a special feat."

She further added a note of gratitude for the filmmaker and the team behind the project, writing, "A special thank you to @boyapatisrinu_official sir and the entire team for this unforgettable journey."

The director expressed happiness and wrote, "1 Billion Views. 1000 Million Hearts. 100 Crore Emotions. 1 Film. The first movie in the world to achieve this incredible milestone. Thank you for making Jaya Janaki Nayaka (Khoonkhar) a timeless celebration. This milestone belongs to every one of you. Thank you for your endless love and support."

The story revolves around Gagan, played by Bellamkonda Sreenivas, and Sweety, a college student played by Rakul Preet Singh, who fall in love but are forced to break up as her father strongly disapproves of their relationship. However, circumstances keep bringing them back together.