RGV's market takes a beating?

Despite creating ripples on social media, maverick director Ram Gopal Varma's much-hyped 'Amma Rajyamlo Kadapa Biddalu' couldn't set box office on fire.

"It was sold for Rs 2 crore plus and it drew collections on first day before losing steam," says distributor Subba Rao, who claims the release of 'Venky Mama' the next day itself on (Friday) drew big collections.

"RGV's lacklustre movie was panned by critics and general audience as well, hence Telugu audience gave thumping openings for 'Venky Mama' and dented collections of RGV movie further," adds Subba Rao

Actually, theatrical rights of RGV's earlier movies like 'Officer' and 'Lakshmi's NTR' were traded for Rs 9 and Rs 6 crore respectively but his latest outing was reportedly sold for meagre Rs 2.3 crore in the two Telugu states.

"Local distributors are not swayed by social media hype, so the film was sold for lowest price in RGV's career.

It is high time, Ram Gopal Varma regain his midas touch and lost glory with a content-driven film," says distributor Sambasiva Rao, who claims that RGV & team have to re-think on their script selection.

"RGV raises expecations with his controversial statements on news channels and gains enough free publicity but when audience turn up at theatres, he is disappointing them with medicore stuff revolving around caricatures, bereft of any story," adds Bharat Bushan.

With mostly lookalikes of N Chandrababu Naidu, Pawan Kalyan, along with Tamil actor Ajmel of 'Rangam' fame playing AP CM Jagan Mohan Reddy and a Kannada actor, the film rides on RGV's name.

"RGV brand lost sheen long back. His latest political thriller looks more like a roadside 'nautanki' than a serious effort to question the dominace of two major castes in Andhra Pradesh's political spectrum.

In fact, I began to doubt the genuiness of social media likes and views these days," concludes Subba Rao.