Why TDP Kept Away from Akhanda 2 Promotions?
Whether it is politics or cinema, everything depends on marketing. In both these fields, marketing is as important as content. The more perfectly one markets, the longer one survives in the market. Now, why all this discussion is because Jana Sena chief and Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan’s films are being promoted on a large scale by the party leaders, and they have made strong efforts—and are still making efforts—to ensure their success. There is nothing wrong in this either. After Pawan Kalyan became Deputy CM, an audio in which Minister Nadendla Manohar spoke with party leaders about promoting his first released film Hari Hara Veera Mallu was leaked. Later, he also officially stated in a media conference that there is nothing wrong in promoting their leader’s film. Regardless of the result, Jana Sena leaders and cadre did everything they could in terms of promotions for Hari Hara Veera Mallu as well as OG.
Despite all the efforts, Hari Hara Veera Mallu failed to make an impact at the box office. As for OG, it managed to earn good collections. Regarding both these films, party sources say that Jana Sena leaders even used funds received through various means to push them. There is a discussion among party leaders that in the coalition government, only Pawan Kalyan is in a greater comfort zone compared to TDP ministers. While all this is one aspect, another hot topic among party leaders now is why the TDP completely let go of Nandamuri Balakrishna’s films while Jana Sena owned and pushed Pawan Kalyan’s films. Coming to the recently released Akhanda 2: Tandavam, there is a discussion among TDP leaders that this film did not receive any support from the party, especially in Andhra Pradesh and also in the United States.
It is well known that for any film, major collections come from the Telugu states and the overseas market, with the largest share coming from the US. It is being said that this time, NRIs who usually own and promote Balakrishna’s films on a large scale did not pay much attention, and only hardcore fans went to watch the movie. Almost the same situation prevailed in Andhra Pradesh as well. In terms of resources, it goes without saying that the TDP’s position is much better than that of Jana Sena. Even so, it is being said that TDP leaders and cadre completely sidelined the issue of pushing the film across the state. Starting from NRIs to within the state, many leaders are said to be highly dissatisfied with the approach of Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and Minister Nara Lokesh. There is a discussion among party leaders that after spending heavily on elections, they have now completely let go, thinking where they would again spend money for films.
Especially, there is an opinion among some leaders that Chandrababu Naidu and Nara Lokesh do not give much political importance to Balakrishna anyway, and if they are not even willing to come forward to push his films when necessary, then why is that so. Once a market falls, it is not easy to revive it. There is also an opinion among party leaders that the attention Chandrababu Naidu and Nara Lokesh showed toward Pawan Kalyan’s films was not shown at all in the case of Balakrishna’s Akhanda 2. Akhanda 2 largely focuses on Hindu Dharma and Sanatana Dharma. Due to the developments that took place in the Assembly a few days ago, a senior TDP leader opined that Chandrababu Naidu and Nara Lokesh might have let this matter go, thinking that if they created too much hype for Balakrishna’s film promotions, it might anger Pawan Kalyan. Overall, this issue has now become a major hot topic within the party.
