Lakshmi's NTR has opened to fantastic response and made good collection at the worldwide box office on the first day. The movie has become the biggest opener for Ram Gopal Varma (RGV).
Lakshmi's NTR has been the most-talked about and highly-anticipated Telugu movie due to its controversial subject. The biopic of late NT Rama Rao showcases Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu as a backstabber of his father-in-law. Its promos have grabbed many eyeballs and generated massive hype, curiosity and expectations from the movie.
The Ram Gopal Varma-directed movie was premiered in 125 screens in the US on Thursday and good advance booking helped it open to superb response. Lakshmi's NTR collected $90,214 at the US box office in the preview shows. The word of mouth boosted its collection on Friday. As per early trends, the film has minted $55,714 on Friday, taking its total collection to $145,928.
Lakshmi's NTR had good advance booking in Telangana, Karnataka and other parts of India, where it has opened to fantastic response on Friday. The movie started on a good note in the morning shows and the positive buzz boosted its business in the later shows. It witnessed 100 per cent occupancy in several cinema halls.
Film critic and trade analyst Idlebrain Jeevi tweeted, "It's very rare to see a film getting houseful in RTC cross roads. #LakshmisNTR is full for all 3 shows so far in Sandhya 35mm despite showing in another theatre in same locality! Apart from a couple of films from sankranthi, this is only film with this kind of response in 2019."
The makers and distributors are yet to reveal its opening day numbers. If we are to go by early trends, Lakshmi's NTR has collected over Rs 4 crore gross at the worldwide box office on the first day. The movie has emerged as the biggest opener for Ram Gopal Varma, who has churned out back-to-back failures in recent years.
The successful run of Lakshmi's NTR in Telangana, Karnataka and everywhere suggests that Telugu people are curious to know the truth. RGV's film once again proves that the viewers prefer to watch meaningful movies with good content. They enjoy realistic films, rather than a film with masala elements.
However, Lakshmi's NTR is not released in Andhra Pradesh, as the TDP appealed the High Court for its ban, claiming that it will have an impact on the voters in the upcoming Assembly election in the state. Ram Gopal Varma has decided to move supreme court. If it hits screens in the state, the film will become even bigger hit at the AP box office.