Will 'Thoofan' survive the political storm in Andhra Pradesh? Film industry keeps its fingers crossed

HYDERABAD: Even as the multi-crore 'Zanjeer', 'Thoofan' is set for release on September 6, the Telugu film industry is keeping its fingers crossed on how the film would fare in the storm of the 'Samaikhyandhra' agitation.
For the last one month, the industry has postponed all its big budget films and is waiting with bated breath to see if the multi-crore 'Thoofan' will wriggle out of the situation, particularly in Seemandhra when it gets released.
In Andhra Pradesh, the film trade is carried out in the Nizam territory comprising Telangana districts, ceded territory comprising Rayalaseema districts and Andhra territory comprising the coastal Andhra region. A storm has been brewing for the last one month in the Andhra and Rayalaseema regions over the decision of the centre to bifurcate the state and carve out the Telangana state.
Since 'Zanjeer', the Hindi version of the film has surmounted all its legal hassles and will have an all India release, it will not be wise for the producers to leave out Andhra Pradesh. However, it will be important from the trade point of view to simultaneously release the Telugu version, which is 'Thoofan' irrespective of what the conditions are in the state.
'Zanjeer'/'Thoofan' has union minister of state for tourism Chiranjeevi's son in the lead. Ram Charan Tej is making his debut in Bollywood with this film pairing with Priyanka Chopra.
Film trade in Andhra Pradesh, however, is observing closely on how the film is being distributed in the state because of the hassles both in Telangana and Seemandhra regions. The Osmania University Joint Action Committee (OUJAC) is opposing the release of the film on the grounds that Chiranjeevi is pitching for Hyderabad as a union territory. Representatives of OUJAC also held a meeting with the Telangana Film Chamber of Commerce urging distributors and exhibitors against buying the movie and exhibiting it.
According to sources, though the trade body was sympathetic to the plea of the protestors, it is learnt that when it came to the business part of the film, they went ahead and signed agreements. This means, the film will be screened in Telangana with the mindset of facing the risk when it comes to it.
It is learnt that even in the Seemandhra regions, because of the unfavourable conditions prevailing there, some exhibitors and distributors haggled and got the distribution rights for a much lesser price than what otherwise a Ram Charan Teja-starrer would have got.
If 'Thoofan' survives the storm both in Seemandhra and Telangana and rakes in a decent amount, the possibility is that two or three other big films including 'Yevadu' also starring Ram Charan Tej, 'Attarintiki Daredi' starring Pawan Kalyan and 'Ramayya Vastavayya' starring Jr NTR may also be released in due course with a calculated risk.
"If the film faces the wrath and ire of protestors in both Seemandhra and Telangana, the film industry will sit back and think. It will prompt filmmakers to be more careful about their decision to release films in the given scenario," said M Vijayendar Reddy, president, Telangana Film Chamber of Commerce.