Fans of mega star Chiranjeevi couldn’t have asked for more. The actor-turned-politician’s much-awaited Khaidi No. 150 released to packed houses across the two Telugu-speaking States —Telangana and Andhra Pradesh — on Wednesday.
Directed by V.V. Vinayak and produced by the actor’s son Ramcharan Tej, Chiranjeevi has hit the silver screen after a hiatus of 10 years which followed his blockbuster Shankardada Zindabad in 2007.
In Hyderabad, most theatres, including the Prasads’ Group, those in the RTC crossroads and in the Kukatpally area, were packed. The number included about 300 in Nizam (Telangana) territory, 600 in Andhra Pradesh, about a 100 in Karnataka and Maharashtra.
Nandu, an employee in the insurance sector and an avid film buff, said he was not a Chiranjeevi fan but the movie was a must-watch. Shankar Bommaganti, a techie who is in the habit of applying leave to watch big ticket films, said the film was a sure-fire hit.
In Andhra Pradesh, it was all-out madness by ardent fans, who couldn’t wait to see their hero’s fights and dance moves on the silver screen. Vijayawada witnessed a steady swell in the size of the crowds outside cinemas as the day progressed.
“Boss is Back” screamed umpteen giant hoardings dotting almost every other street besides the main centres and vantage points in the city.
Delirious fans babbled incessantly about the joy of seeing their idol once again on-screen. “The ‘Boss’ has surpassed everybody’s expectations in the dance numbers. I don’t want to watch any other movie for a long time lest this impact may wane,” said Jagadeesh, a die-hard Chiranjeevi fan, emerging out of ‘Y’ Screens miniplex at Pundit Nehru Bus Station (PNBS).
The two miniplexes at the main bus station of APSRTC (Y Screen) screened 12 shows and tickets for all shows were sold by Tuesday. “People are coming in groups with a request for tickets. We are under pressure, but all tickets are sold out,” said Ratna Kumar, Chairman and Managing Director of the mini theatres.
A few cinemas which planned to screen benefit shows had to drop it as the city Police did not give permission.
Chiranjeevi has a major fan following in Vijayawada, a city known to patronise cinema in a big way, even generally.
In Visakhapatnam, a dejected fan reportedly inflicted an injury on his throat when he did not get the ticket at a cinema. People rushed him to a hospital and he is said to be out of danger. Police said the man was in an inebriated condition.
Unconfirmed reports said a single ticket costing Rs. 150 was sold in black for Rs. 500 at some places.
