Actor Prabhas' latest movie Radhe Shyam hit the screens on March 11, giving 'Darlings' a reason to rejoice. The biggie created a reasonable deal of buzz among fans prior to its release as it is the Baahubali star's first release since the actioner Saaho, which premiered in theatres in 2019. So, did this help the romantic drama open to a good response at the box office? Here's the detailed report.
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'Radhe Shyam' off to a flying start in Telugu states
Radhe Shyam opened on a strong note in the Telugu states with several shows witnessing 'Housefull' occupancy. The day 1 share is likely to be between Rs 20 crore and Rs 30 crore, according to initial estimates. It might collect nearly Rs 15 crore in Nizam, judging by early trends.
Not as big as expected in Hindi
The film hasn't done as well as expected in the Hindi market mainly because it is perceived to be a 'class' film that doesn't cater to those who liked Prabhas' work in the 'massy' Baahubali saga and the action-thriller Saaho. The advance bookings too started quite late. The day 1 net collection is likely to be between Rs 4 crore and Rs 8 crore, as per initial estimates.
Deep Dive
The positive response to Radhe Shyam at the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana box office can be attributed to the fact that Prabhas has a strong base in the Telugu states because of films such as Baahubali 2, Baahubali, Mirchi and the romantic drama Darling. It also faced limited competition from Suriya's ET as the actioner has not been able to get wide patronage in the Telugu markets.
The situation, however, was quite different in the Hindi belt as the promotions were not as strong as expected. Unlike a Baahubali or a Pushpa, it does not cater to a mass audience. The flick faced competition in Delhi from The Kashmir Files, a film that deals with a sensitive issue. The fact that Pooja Hegde isn't a big name in Hindi cinema went against 'Jil' Radha Krishna Kumar's magnum opus.
The road ahead
The film has received mixed to positive reviews in the Telugu states with critics lauding the performances and production values. The word of mouth is favorable, which will work in its favour in the coming days. Things, however, don't look too promising in Hindi as the critical response is not as encouraging as expected. It will have to depend on Prabhas' stardom to have a good first weekend.