Vishwak Sen’s Funky released during the Valentine’s Day weekend with decent expectations. The movie was directed by Anudeep, best known for the blockbuster Jathi Ratnalu.
The film failed to meet even the bare minimum expectations and emerged as a box office disaster. Reviews were mostly negative, and word of mouth did not help either. The movie struggled even during its opening weekend and saw a sharp drop from Monday onwards. Theatre occupancies fell quickly, and audiences did not show much interest.
The biggest setback from this result is for director Anudeep. After the huge success of Jathi Ratnalu, he could not recreate the same magic with Prince, and many believed he would make a strong comeback with Funky. Unfortunately, the response to Funky was even more disappointing. Some viewers even commented that Prince looked better in comparison. Industry observers now feel that Anudeep is stuck in a particular style of comedy and is finding it difficult to move beyond that zone. Reviving his career from here may not be easy.
For Vishwak Sen, who has already faced washouts like Laila and Mechanic Rocky, this film is another massive setback. Producer Naga Vamsi, whose recent success rate has also dipped, would have expected better results.
Interestingly, while the film disappointed most of the team, it seems to have worked in favor of heroine Kayadu Lohar. Even though the movie has flopped, she has managed to grab attention with her screen presence, cute looks, and energy. Kayadu Lohar looks pretty on screen and carries some lovely costumes. Her character may be basic and limited in scope, but she looks good throughout the film and connects well with young viewers.
In a way, even in such a complete disaster film, she seems to have gained something. The industry expects producers will be lining up to sign her for their next movies.
