Will Priyadarshan's 'Hungama 2' live up to expectations?

Contrary to perception, 'Hungama 2' is not a sequel to 'Hungama'

Noted director Priyadarshan's upcoming movie Hungama 2 is set to premiere on Hotstar on July 23 much to the delight of fans. The comedy-drama has garnered a decent amount of attention with its trailer, suggesting that those fond of light-hearted entertainers are in for a treat. So, will the flick be able to live up to the expectations? Here's our SWOT analysis.

Strength: Priyadarshan's popularity

'Priyan', a popular name in the Hindi film industry, enjoys a strong fan following due to his clean and family-friendly brand of comedy. The star filmmaker, who began his Bollywood career with the commercially unsuccessful Muskurahat, emerged as a force to be reckoned with due to films such as Hulchul, Hera Pheri and Bhool Bhulaiyaa. Judging by the trailer, Hungama 2 is not too different from his best work and may offer fans clean entertainment. Shilpa Shetty's association with the film too may help it.

Weakness: Newcomers in the lead

The trailer suggests that the film will revolve around the characters [played by Meezaan and Pranitha, who are not established names in Hindi cinema. Meezaan made his Bollywood debut with the Sanjay Leela Bhansali-backed Malaal, which did not do well at the box office. Pranitha, on the other hand, is an established name in Kannada and Telugu cinema but does not have a base in Bollywood. The film may find limited patronage initially due to the lack of star power.

Also Read | Have mixed feelings about OTT-only release for 'Hungama 2': Pranitha Subhash

Opportunity: No box office pressure

The OTT revolution has opened new avenues for relatively smaller films as there is no pressure on box office performances. Films such as Chintu Ka Birthday and Darbaan found an audience despite the lack of star power as the content was good. Hungama 2 too might benefit if it receives rave reviews.

Threat: Potential clashes

The language barrier has become a thing of the past in the 'OTT era' as most content is released with subtitles. As such, Hungama 2 too will face competition from the Telugu film Narappa and the Tamil drama Sarpatta Paramabarai, which feature established actors in the lead. 14 Phere and the anthology Feels Like Ishq may give Hungama 2 a run for its money as they are set in a somewhat similar space.