Fears of a massive hike in ticket prices serving as a deterrent were allayed as SS Rajamouli’s RRR had a promising start at the box office. Its two-day collection figure sits at approximately Rs 370-crore (Friday — Rs 257.15-crore, Saturday — Rs 114.38-crore), giving trade analysts reason to cheer.

Analyst Taran Adarsh says, “S S Rajamouli is a star in his own right and is enough to pull a show. The fact that the film has [good] content will enable it to enjoy a good run. Now, every common man knows who the director of RRR is. It’s a well-made film. I wouldn’t like to bracket it as one belonging to the south market. Films such as this establish that the theatrical experience will always remain our first love. That people will watch films only on OTT is a misconception. OTT will never be the first choice.”

With Baahubali, Rajamouli was the first to showcase the influence that a south film can have on a pan-India audience. The success of recent offerings like Pushpa, and now, RRR, has only added credence to the narrative. The NTR Jr and Ram Charan starrer has lent a new lease of life to single screens, which struggled to stay afloat during the pandemic. 

Manoj Desai, executive director of G7 Multiplex and Maratha Mandir, says, “RRR is doing extraordinary business. The film is running to packed theatres at all my centres. It will surpass [the collection of] Pushpa: The Rise - Part 01. Post the pandemic, Sooryavanshi and The Kashmir Files from Bollywood, and Pushpa and RRR from the south film industry have performed well. There is immense craze for south films. The masses relate to the story, plot, emotions, visual effects, and the action in such films.”

With KFG 2 also gearing up for a release, things finally seem to be looking up for the theatre business. 

Gurmeet Seble of Delhi Single Screens Association had previously told mid-day that “unless a big money spinner came their way” single screens would be forced to remain shut. “Though these properties are self owned, they have staggering operational costs. So owners don’t wish to keep theatres running if people do not show up. RRR has brought the masses back in a big way.”