Vijay Deverakonda and Samantha Ruth Prabhu’s previous films were not successful at the box office. Vijay’s Liger, which was heavily promoted, was a critical and commercial failure. Samantha’s Shaakuntalam was also a box office bomb, which reportedly “shook” the business of its producer, Dil Raju. Therefore, all eyes are on their upcoming film Kushi, which has generated positive buzz in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu.
While Kushi has generated more buzz in the Telugu-speaking states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, it is also expected to do well in Tamil Nadu. Vijay Deverakonda has a significant fan following in Tamil Nadu, thanks to the success of his romantic films Arjun Reddy and Geeta Govindam, which were both successful even in tier-two cities of the state. Samantha Ruth Prabhu is also popular in Tamil Nadu, and her presence in the film is likely to add to its appeal.
Film trade analyst Ramesh Bala predicts that Kushi will have a soft opening in Tamil Nadu, but will still collect at least ₹1 crore from Chennai and other Tamil districts. He says that the film will open in around 250 theaters across Tamil Nadu, and will be one of the biggest releases of the day. However, he expects the film to have a slow start, and to collect around ₹1-2 crore on its opening day. He believes that word-of-mouth will help the film to become bigger in the coming days.
When asked if the film’s performance will be a deciding factor in the actors’ careers, Ramesh Bala says, “I don’t think it will affect their careers as both have a good body of work. However, it is a crucial film for them after their respective flops.” Echoing Bala’s opinion, Hyderabad-based trade analyst Deepak says, “I don’t think an actor’s last film matters anymore. People have changed a lot now. It comes down to the content of the film, the packaging, and the overall appeal.”
