Will Sai Dharam Tej's 'Republic' live up to expectations at the box office?

The film needs to collect Rs 14 crore worldwide to breakeven

The eagerly-awaited Telugu movie Republic hit the screens on Friday (October 1) much to the delight of Sai Dharam Tej fans. The film is touted to be a commercial action drama with a message and mass elements. So does the Deva Katta-helmed film have what it takes to emerge as a big hit? Here's our SWOT analysis

Strength: Impressive cast

The 'Supreme Hero', who struggled to make an impact during the early stages of his career, has garnered a decent fan following over the last couple of years with films such as Chitralahari, Prathi Roju Pandage and Solo Brathuke So Better. Republic appears to be a showreel for the young star as it features punch dialogues and elevation sequences. In other words, it may prove to be a treat for his fans. Similarly, Ramya Krishnan is a powerhouse performer, who reconsolidated her standing in the industry with the Baahubali saga. The trailer suggests that she plays a grey/negative character in Republic as she did in the yesteryear classic Padayappa.

Weakness: The leading lady

Aishwarya Rajesh, the film's female protagonist, is a stellar performer. She rose to fame with her work in the Tamil movie Kaakka Muttai and subsequently acted in critically-acclaimed films such as Vada Chennai and Chekka Chivantha Vaanam. The 'Chennai Ponu', however, is not as big a name in Tollywood as in the Tamil film industry. World Famous Lover, her last Telugu film to release in theatres, proved to be a commercial failure. Moreover, she did not get enough scope in her last release Tuck Jagadish.

Opportunity: Right timing

The film comes at a time when the Telugu film industry has more or less regained its mojo after the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown. Love Story emerged as a big hit, indicating that moviegoers are more than willing to visit theatres under the 'new normal. Republic too might find wide patronage if it is able to give fans what they crave for--paisa vasool entertainment.

Threat: The name's Bond

The film is likely to face stiff competition from No Time To Die, Daniel Craig's last outing as James Bond, especially in the urban markets. Moreover, the buzz around Republic is not as strong as expected, which might prove to be a problem unless the word of mouth is exceptionally good.