Diwali has always been a major occasion for big film releases, drawing families to theatres for big star releases. This year nearly half a dozen films are scheduled for release, but the lineup does not feature the big stars but upcoming heroes who want to prove themselves. Among the main releases are Siddhu Jonnalagadda’s Telusu Kada, Kiran Abbavaram’s K-Ramp, and Pradeep Ranganathan’s Dude, all vying for audience’s love this festive season.
Siddhu Jonnalagadda, who gained popularity among youth audiences with films like DJ Tillu and Tillu Square, faced a major blow with his last release, Jack. The film failed spectacularly, collecting less than Rs. 5 crore worldwide, making it a disaster at the box office. This failure affected Siddhu’s credibility and box office standing. Many industry experts now feel that Siddhu’s drawing power outside the Tillu universe is limited, and audiences are unlikely to come to theatres unless he reprises his Tillu character. His choice of scripts and high remuneration have also been questioned after Jack. One disaster changed a lot of equations for Siddhu.
With Telusu Kada, Siddhu is now attempting a comeback. Trade reports suggest that the film’s theatrical business has exceeded Rs. 20 crores, which is huge for a hero like Siddhu especially after a disaster like Jack. To achieve break-even, the film needs to earn over Rs. 22 crores in theatrical share which is not going to be an easy task unless the word of mouth is extremely positive.
The film has not generated any huge buzz, and promotional material has struggled to capture the audience’s fascination. Coming after the disappointment of Jack, Siddhu faces a make-or-break test with Telusu Kada. As an actor also, Siddhu needs to prove his mettle outside the Tillu Universe. The audience and industry are keenly watching to see whether Siddhu can deliver a surprise hit under these circumstances or if history will repeat itself with another box-office shock.
