Maharshi, touted as prestigious silver jubilee film for Mahesh babu, is finishing first week at BO. Even though the film has opened to mixed reviews from critics (T360 rating: 2.75), the film has set the cash registers ringing for the first few days. This has rejuvenated Mahesh babu and ever since he has been on an ecstatic publicity ride touting the film as an ‘Epic Blockbuster’. Mahesh proudly raising collar isn’t lost on an avid movie watcher. Even his better half, Namratha, chipped in on Instagram celebrating the “success” of the film. But what is the reality? Is it really an “Epic Blockbuster”
Let’s look at this both from content perspective and trade perspective.
Content: At the outset it is very safe to say that this is a movie that has added nothing to his repertoire. The film is just a hodge podge of his previous hits with very ordinary music. You are excused if you find lot of similarity to Srimanthudu and Bharat Ane Nenu. Even there is nothing to write home about Mahesh Babu in this movie. He has done similar characters multiple times in the last few years. So what is there to celebrate?
Trade: The movie has opened well due to summer and no there are no other films big or small in the horizon. Sita is postponed and so if you want to watch a movie with family currently Maharshi is the only option. Dil Raju used his leverage and got hiked prices for the film. Given all these advantages, Maharshi is faring decently in Nizam and is just OK in other areas. It is too early to tell, but current indications are the movie is going to be a huge loss maker in US and Ceded. Overall the movie might just get pass marks on trade front inspite of innumerable advantages it had.
Is that the high bar that Superstar is setting for himself on a trade front? What is the point in rising the collar day in and day out when the movie is performing just OK at the trade and distributors in few big areas are staring at huge losses?
Coming back to the title of this article, who is going to bell the cat? Who will give a real picture to Mahesh that everything is not rosy? Will PRO’s, who are all over media for writing facts, have the audacity to communicate real picture to Mahesh?
Who will bell the cat??
