Will Sarileru Neekevvaru's pre-release biz break even?

Tollywood star Mahesh Babu is gearing up for the release of the eagerly awaited Sarileru Neekevvaru, slated to arrive in theatres on January 11, 2020. The Sankranti biggie, helmed by Anil Ravipudi, has piqued the curiosity for a variety of reasons. Now, the Sarileru Neekevvaru pre-release business report is out.

As per various reports, the film's Andhra Pradesh and Telangana rights have been sold for Rs 76.6 crore. Mahesh Babu's last release Maharshi, which had done a pre-release business of Rs 76 crore, bagged Rs 80 crore and emerged as a 'hit' despite mixed reviews. Being a festival release, Sarileru Neekevvaru is expected to fare better than the Vamshi Paidipally-helmed movie.

However, unlike Maharshi, it is not really a solo release as Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo is slated to hit screens on January 12. Like Sarileru Neekevvaru, it too is an entertainer meant for a family audience and this suggests it could create a problem for the 'Prince'-starrer flick. To make matters worse, a section of the audience might give preference to Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo as Allu Arjun and Trivikram Srinivas have previously collaborated for the well-received S/O Satyamurthy and Julayi. It might also get some extra mileage as it marks Bunny's second collaboration with his Duvvada Jagannadham co-star Pooja Hegde. As such, all might not really be well for Sarileru Neekevvaru.

Mahesh Babu's movie might also struggle in the Ceded market where its rights are valued at Rs 12 crore. Maharshi had raked in a share of about Rs 10 crore in the area and failed to break even, which suggests the odds are stacked against Sarileru Neekevvaru.

Either way, with Sarileru Neekevvaru and Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo releasing around the same time, movie buffs are in for a treat this Sankranti.