Akhil’s Lenin is all set to hit theatres on July 10, and the film’s promotions are finally gaining momentum at the right time. Akhil himself has taken the responsibility of aggressively pushing the film to the public, and fans too are hopeful that this could finally be the hit he badly needs.
The biggest boost so far has come from the trailer. The Lenin trailer has received a decent response and has managed to create some curiosity around the film. More importantly, a few elements in the trailer have reminded some viewers of Rangasthalam.
Such comparisons come with a risk because Rangasthalam is one of the most celebrated Telugu films of the last decade. The moment Lenin gets linked to that film, audience expectations naturally go up. If the film fails to deliver that emotional strength or rustic intensity, the comparison itself can backfire.
At the same time, Lenin is also getting lucky with the timing of its release.
This week’s two releases, Rao Bahadur and Nagabandham, have not really worked at the box office.
Rao Bahadur has received good reviews from a section of the audience, but its niche subject and slow narration have limited its theatrical pull. Many viewers are appreciating the second half but are also saying the first half tests patience. The film reportedly needs around Rs. 10 crores distributor share to break even, but in two days, it has managed only around Rs. 3 crores share. It now needs a strong Sunday to stay alive.
Nagabandham, on the other hand, has been rejected more clearly. Despite its huge scale and budget, the film has not connected with audiences. Apart from a few set pieces, the overall response has been poor, and its excessive 3-hour 17-minute runtime has become a major complaint. The makers have now trimmed the film to 2 hours 45 minutes, but whether that changes the talk from day three remains to be seen. In two days, the film has earned only around Rs. 5 crores share, while its breakeven target is said to be close to Rs. 28 crores.
If either Rao Bahadur or Nagabandham had clicked big with the audience, Lenin would have faced a tougher battle for attention. But with both films underperforming, the box office is once again open for a fresh release to grab the spotlight.
For Akhil, that is a blessing.
Because now Lenin is arriving at a time when the audience is still hungry for a proper good film. The trailer has already done a decent job of putting the film on people’s radar. If the film gets positive talk from the first show, it has a real chance to take full advantage of the weak hold created by this week’s releases.
The pre-release event could also give it one more push. There is buzz that Jr NTR may attend as chief guest, and there is also talk that Ram Charan could extend support in some form during promotions. If that happens, the film will get one final boost before release.
So right now, Lenin seems to be getting the kind of pre-release setup Akhil would have wanted: a decent trailer response, growing curiosity, possible star support, and a box office that has opened up because this week’s releases got dull response.
Now Lenin has to turn that curiosity into strong word of mouth. Because this time, the opening seems to be there. What happens after that will depend entirely on the content.
