"Businessman" is indeed a hit!

Its now final - "Businessman" is a hit amongst the movies released for Sankranti in Tollywood.  ("Bodyguard" is also an average hit and has its supoort and patronage but thats not sufficient to upstage "Businessman"). And Mahesh Babu seems to be the New No.1 in Tollywood. Collections don't lie - from Rs.13 crs. gross +satellite rights of Rs.7.27 crs. It has already made money for the distributors and producers. Credit goes to both Mahesh and Puri for snatching a quick and cool hit - with tight schedule and tighter control on costs. If the trend continues this year, looks like Tollywood will be on a song because of more multli-starrers planned and faster rotation of reels between Superstars and technicians. If heroes like NTR, Mahesh, Prabhas act in 4-5 films per year and compete with the likes of Ravi Teja and Allari Naresh in more productions per annum - it is the best thing to happen for Tollywood desperate for more churnouts and more hits and more employability for its crew and cast. Last year, Tollywood saw a unique statistics. The no. of dubbed films in Telugu was 120 in 2011 whereas the no.of straight films in Tollywood were 118. That should tell how the technicians of Tollywood would have fared. Well begun is half the victory..So the tidings will be glad for another busy movie season coming up in February where many Star films are expected to release. Cheers Tollywood and Telugu Cinema.

Sankranti and Tollywood Movies

Tollywood movies this Sankranti are likely setting the tone for what to expect in 2012. Two reclusive Babus are releasing movies whose titles start with "B" and have the same music director. The same Babus are later starting work on a multi-starrer to be produced by Dil Raju. How the fans of each other behave now will cast a shadow on the way the multi-starrer later is received. The situation is ...so upbeat between the movies - "Businessman" and "Bodyguard" that "Nippu" that Ravi Teja's movie got postponed beyond Sankranti. The only movie with village backdrop is Nandamuri Tarakaratna's "Nandeeswarudu" but I am not sure it will grab the eyeballs between two reclusive Superstars. Sankranti is not for the fainthearted and only established heroes test their appeal at the Box-Office for this season - the rest try their luck during "safe periods" - December, Diwali-Dasera and Summer holidays after EAMCET when chances of assured student audiences abound. Since we come from Village background, my family revels in Sankranti season - we watch all movies in those 3 days - back-to-back almost - and have usually found the Sankranti winner is usually a Surprise packet - the "Pandem Kodi" is actually the one you haven't bet on. But for those who feel happy about it, Mahesh Babu has beaten the record of Allari Naresh in getting a movie out within just 100 days of his previous movie "Dookudu". I hope 2012 brings out more such welcome developments where stars act in more movies, take on experimental films, co-star in multi-starrers, and take Tollywood to greater heights. Last year, we had dubbed movies like "Rangam" usher in the Sun's transit into the Northern Hemisphere. This year, its Telugu all the way - hope the year will be the best for Tollywood.