Tollywood legend Chiranjeevi's latest movie Acharya opened to a good response at the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana box office on April 29 despite receiving mixed reviews. It collected Rs 29.5 crore (share) on day 1, according to trade reports, It fared slightly better than the Prabhas-led Radhe Shyam, which collected nearly Rs 26 crore when it premiered in theatres in March. This, however, isn't surprising as the romantic drama was a 'class film' with no mass elements.
Acharya, however, failed to match the collection of Chiru's previous release Sye Raa, which raked in nearly Rs 38 crore in 2018. The perception is that the flick would have done even better had it been promoted aggressively. Moreover, it faced competition from the holdover release KGF 2, which is doing well in mass centres. The fact that it comes merely a month after RRR too diluted its impact as both films feature Ram Charan. Kajal Aggarwal fans stayed away from the movie as the Temper star's scenes were edited out before its release.
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Acharya, as alluded to previously, wasn't lapped up by critics. Most reviewers praised the performances but hit out at the lacklustre screenplay. The mediocre word of mouth is likely to affect its prospects once the initial buzz fades. The film is, either way, likely to stay strong over the weekend mainly because of Chiranjeevi's star power. Its fate will depend on whether it is able to stay stable on Monday (May 2)
Acharya, directed by Koratala Siva, is an action drama that revolves around a 'saviour' who protects his people from evil. It features 'Megastar' in a massy new avatar, which does justice to his reel image. Charan plays Siddha, a character who shares a close bond with the protagonist. The cast includes Pooja Hegde, Sonu Sood and Kishore.
With Acharya in theatres, Chiranjeevi is set to turn his attention to the Mohan Raja-helmed Godfather. The flick is a remake of the Malayalam blockbuster Lucifer, which starred Mohanlal.