A new problem for NTR Jr
Jr NTR is, without a shadow of doubt, one of the biggest names in Tollywood. Having started his career with the National Award winning Ramayanam as a child artist back in 1996, he kicked off his mainstream senior career with director S.S. Rajamouli’s in the blockbuster hit Student No. 1 and hasn’t looked back since. However, he is recently having a hard time finding distributors for his new, upcoming film Nannaku Prematho in Andhra Pradesh that is expected to release on 13th January of the coming year.
Reasons for this predicament
There are primarily two reasons for this.
Firstly, Jr NTR’s films haven’t been a rage at the box office recently. Even though films like Baadshah (2013) and Temper (2015) had record breaking openings, distributers haven’t forgotten the losses they have had to sustain with his films like Shakti (2011), Oosaravelli (2011), Dammu (2012) a few years back. All three films had commercially crashed and burned at the box office and then Rabhasha suffered the same fat last year. This might have caused a sense of reluctance among the distributors in taking the rights of Nannaku Prematho. However this is not the main reason for Jr NTR’s worries.
Film reporters and box office analysts believe that the issue that is the root of this problem is Jr NTR’s relationship with the TDP led Government of Andhra Pradesh which has certainly soured over the last couple of years.
The rift was first apparent after the 2009 elections. However, the problem exacerbated when YSR Congress party put up some of NTR’s photographs in flexes. After this incident, the Telugu superstar was warned by his own uncle, actor and Telugu Desam Party Leader Nandamuri Balakrishna who asserted that NTR would have to face the repercussions if he didn’t clear the confusion regarding the photographs. However, the situation turned for far worse when Balakrishna and other TDP members boycotted one of NTR’s events.
Last year, NTR Jr stayed away from campaigning for Telugu Desam Party and he and his close confidante YSR Congress MLA Nani were heavily criticized for this by Chandrababu Naidu’s family. In protest, many of Jr NTR’s ardent fans had protested and arranged a dharna in Nalgonda district where they set fire to posters released by TDP contestant Vangala Swamy Goud. These posters did not have NTR’s photograph in them but of Chandrababu Naidu. The situation eventually abated after the police arrived and dispersed the crowd.
Fate of Nannaku Prematho in Andra Pradesh
If the situation does not take a stand for the better, then it will only hurt the chances of Nannau Prematho becoming a huge hit in Andhra Pradesh. Many fear that bitter relationship between the Government and the film star is discouraging the distributors from taking risks with the distribution of the upcoming film. Only a month is left before the movie releases and the rights of the film have still not been bought by anybody in Andhra Pradesh.
The family drama directed by Sukumar has created quite the hype among the audience and also features Tamannah Bhatia in an item number.