Vijay Deverakonda has an interesting history at the box office with Rajinikanth. On two previous occasions, Vijay’s films released around the same time as Rajinikanth’s movies, and both times, Vijay’s films emerged as commercial successes while the superstar’s biggies failed to live up to their massive expectations. Now, with Jailer 2 arriving on October 15 and Ranabaali on October 16, can Vijay repeat the feat for a third time?
The first instance was in 2016, when Rajinikanth’s Kabali hit theatres amid enormous hype. The film had sensational openings, but its final box-office performance did not match the expectations. Around the same period, Pelli Choopulu arrived as a small film. Directed by Tharun Bhascker, it went on to become a blockbuster. While Kabali relied on a huge star and massive pre-release expectations, Pelli Choopulu won audiences through its content and word of mouth.
The second clash came in November 2018, when Shankar’s 2.0, starring Rajinikanth and Akshay Kumar, hit theatres with a massive budget and huge expectations. Despite big openings, the film struggled to deliver the expected returns. Meanwhile, Vijay’s Taxiwaala, directed by Rahul Sankrityan, became a commercial success despite production troubles and piracy issues.
Now, Rajinikanth’s Jailer 2 is scheduled to release on October 15, while Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna’s Ranabaali arrives on October 16. This time, the circumstances are different. Jailer 2 carries the advantage of Rajinikanth’s enormous market and the expectations surrounding the sequel to a big blockbuster. Ranabaali, meanwhile, is a period action drama that needs to establish its own appeal through its story, performances and word of mouth.
Vijay’s recent box-office struggles have raised questions about his stardom and credibility, while Ranabaali is crucial for Mythri Movie Makers after several underwhelming results with VD.
Can Ranabaali make it three out of three against Rajinikanth’s films, or will Jailer 2 finally break the pattern? The box office will deliver the verdict soon.
