Ravi Teja starrer “Irumudi” has become such a monstrous hit that it has created an unusual problem for its makers.
The film, which was released in theatres on August 21, received a unanimous blockbuster response on its opening day and has continued to grow at the box office with each passing day. Even after completing four weekends, “Irumudi” is still holding the number one position at the box office.
The film is particularly strong in Nizam, where it is continuing to draw huge numbers and is now emerging as one of the biggest hits of all time for Telugu cinema in the territory.
The situation has become even more favourable for “Irumudi” with last Friday’s releases, including “Epic”, “Mahendragiri Varahi”, “Maremma” and “Sardar 2”, failing to attract audiences. With the new releases struggling badly, “Irumudi” remains the first choice for many moviegoers.
The trade is now expecting the film to continue its theatrical run until Nani’s “The Paradise” arrives on September 24. But there is an unusual hurdle: the film’s post-theatrical streaming deal with Netflix was already closed before its release.
If Netflix goes ahead with its planned premiere next week, “Irumudi” could potentially continue running in theatres while also becoming available on OTT. If the digital premiere happens on September 18, it would arrive just six days before “The Paradise”, creating an unusual situation for a film that is still performing strongly at the box office.
The production house, Mythri Movie Makers, could request Netflix to postpone the streaming premiere by another week, allowing the film to enjoy its theatrical run without an OTT release affecting its momentum.
Interestingly, none of Ravi Teja’s films in the last four years has enjoyed a long theatrical run of this sort. “Irumudi” has not only delivered a major comeback at the box office but has now reached a stage where its success itself has created a problem for the makers.
Directed by Shiva Nirvana and produced by Mythri Movie Makers, “Irumudi” stars Ravi Teja as a father, Baby Nakshtara as his daughter and Priya Bhavani Shankar as his wife.
