Manish Shah, the man behind Goldmines Telefilms, was instrumental in making Pushpa: The Rise a hit in the Hindi market.
His distribution efforts turned a regional action film into a ₹150 crore success in the North.
Also Read – Next 500 Crore Blockbuster? Trailer Date Locked
So when Pushpa 2: The Rule was announced, everyone expected him to strike again.
But Shah walked away from the project and speculation was rife if it was a calculated move or a missed golden opportunity.
Also Read – Sikandar Trailer Delay: What’s Salman Khan Hiding?
The answer was simple financial disagreements. Shah had acquired Pushpa 1’s Hindi rights for approximately ₹30 crore and made a lot of money.
But Mythri Movie Makers, the producers, wanted a share of the revenues from its Hindi success.
Also Read – “What Can I Do If Osama Bin Laden Was My No.1 Fan”
Manish Shah refused, saying his marketing and dubbing played a big role in the film’s success.
Couldn’t agree on middle ground, the deal fell through and Anil Thadani’s AA Films acquired Pushpa 2’s Hindi distribution rights for ₹200 crore.
Despite Manish Shah’s exit, Pushpa 2 created history. The Hindi version alone did ₹829 crore, more than double of Pushpa 1’s ₹150 crore.
Domestically it did ₹1,255.76 crore, worldwide it shattered records with ₹1,871 crore, beating Baahubali 2 to become the highest grossing Indian film ever.
Would Pushpa 2 have done even better with Goldmines? Manish Shah’s contribution to Pushpa 1’s success was undeniable but the sequel had unprecedented buzz, massive marketing and Allu Arjun at his peak.
Given the film’s success, it’s hard to say if Goldmines would have made a difference.
In the end, it was purely business. He played safe but lost out on being part of a all time blockbuster.
His strategy of playing safe may have cost him this time but his track record says he’ll be back with another biggie soon.
