After a great run in Hindi, Chhaava finally entered Telugu market with so much hype.Released in almost 600 screens in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, it had a huge potential to open big. But the first day numbers are decent and not that great.
The film has collected around 2.5 crore gross in Telugu states on its opening day, according to trade reports.
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Although this seems decent, it’s short of 4 crores that trade experts were expecting especially after its massive success in Bollywood. Given the wide release and extremely positive reactions, a bigger start was expected.
Despite the lower-than-expected opening, Chhaava has got great reviews in Telugu and Vicky Kaushal’s dubbing is being liked.
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This could help it to pick up on Saturday. But there’s a major hurdle—the India vs. New Zealand match on Sunday. Cricket fever might affect the footfalls and limit its weekend growth.
One reason for the slow start could be the regional connect. While Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj’s story is celebrated in Maharashtra, it may not have the same emotional pull in Telugu states.
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The film also doesn’t have a big Telugu star and its promotions in South were not as aggressive as in Hindi markets.
Chhaava has set records in Bollywood, but its Telugu run has started on just a decent note. If the word of mouth is good, it could be stable over weekdays. Geetha Arts which has released the film in Telugu would be expecting at least 12-15 crores share from the film for which it has to do a gross collection of over 20 crores.
But can it overcome the cricket challenge on Sunday and pick up momentum? Only time will tell.
