Megastar Chiranjeevi’s latest film Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu has released worldwide and is enjoying decent word of mouth. With the Sankranti festive season in full flow, the film is expected to benefit from holiday crowds and family audiences. However, despite the positive momentum, a section of the Telugu diaspora in the United States is expressing clear disappointment.
Usually, a Megastar release is expected to have wide release across the US, especially in regions with a strong Telugu population. According to reports, in several cities, fans report that the film is either not playing in nearby theatres or is available only at far away locations. This has caused frustration, as audiences were expecting easy access to the film close to their homes.
In cities like New York and surrounding areas, many fans have complained on social media that they are forced to travel long distances to catch a show. Several netizens pointed out that this takes away from the festive experience and limits family audiences, particularly elderly viewers and those with children.
Typically, films starring top Telugu stars get strong patronage across major US chains and local theatres. Trade observers believe that, given the film’s decent response, there is clear potential to add more screens and shows. Expanding the release could significantly boost Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu collections in the US.
With decent talk, better accessibility to theaters could translate into higher footfalls. Also, Prabhas’ Raja Saab has turned out to be a disaster in the US, and fans feel that its screens and shows should be reallocated to Chiranjeevi’s Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu.
For the film to enjoy a strong run in the US, availability across all major locations is crucial. Mega fans are hopeful that distributors will respond positively and allocate additional screens in more cities very soon.
Despite the distribution issues, theatres where the film is currently playing are seeing strong occupancy.
