The opening numbers for Vijay Sethupathi’s Baththa in both Tamil and Telugu are shockingly poor.
The film released today, October 1, and despite being backed by Atlee’s production, audiences even in Chennai have not turned up in significant numbers to give it the much-needed opening. Almost all the screens looked open with no significant ticket sales.
Amidst this, what does it mean for Puri Jagannadh’s Slumdog?
It is becoming clear that Vijay Sethupathi’s stardom may not be strong enough to guarantee huge theatrical openings. But what about Puri Jagannadh? It has been more than seven years since Puri delivered a core hit, yet his name still carries value.
At least, one can expect his films to generate some initial curiosity, but even that is no longer guaranteed. These are changing times, and Slumdog will put that to the test.
Every film is a fresh start. Unless audiences connect with the title, trailer, songs and promotional material, they may not feel compelled to enter theatres.
So far, the promotional content for Slumdog, including the trailer, Tabu teaser and Mother teaser, has not created much connection or hype among audiences.
That makes the theatrical landing challenging. However, Puri Jagannadh is not someone who easily backs down. His ability to speak, promote and create attention could still bring audiences to theatres.
Ultimately, even with low openings, if the content connects, nothing can stop the film. Now, it remains to be seen how Puri sails through these rough currents.