After the crash of Mass Jathara, theatres across the Telugu states are wearing a deserted look. Screens that were expected to buzz for at least a week have gone silent. Along with the film, its entire team has faded from buzz.
Now, this empty space has opened up a golden opportunity for at least half a dozen new releases to make their mark.
This weekend, five films are hitting theatres, and the most talked-about among them is The Girlfriend. Entirely riding on Rashmika Mandanna’s craze, the film’s pulling factor is her presence alone. If the content clicks after release, the film will automatically hold its ground.
Directed by Rahul Ravindran, The Girlfriend has strong backing from Rashmika and producer Allu Aravind. This support has made it the hottest release of the week.
Rashmika, too, is aggressively promoting it. The film targets youth audiences with a story centered on bad relationships and modern romance.
Next in line is Jatadhara, another notable release this week. The trailer has clicked, and promotions are going strong, but the movie still needs stronger buzz.
Starring Sudheer Babu and made on a big budget, this horror-mystic thriller will also have to rely heavily on content to sustain.
Another release is the dubbed film Aryan, featuring Vishnu Vishal as a police officer. It was initially planned for release last week but was postponed due to Baahubali: The Epic and Mass Jathara.
The Tamil version released earlier but received a lukewarm response. Now, all eyes are on how Telugu audiences will receive this crime thriller, which also stars Shraddha Srinath and Manasa Chaudhary.
Alongside these, three small films; Pre-Wedding Show, Preminchistunna, and Krishna Leela are also set to release this weekend. However, the spotlight clearly remains on Rashmika’s and Sudheer Babu’s films.
With theatres currently empty and waiting for a crowd-puller, this weekend’s verdict will depend purely on which film lets its content do the talking.
