Manam
ManamPR Handout

Akkineni multi starrer "Manam" crossed the $1.5 million mark at the US box office. The family drama is one of the biggest hits in the US, where Telugu films have a huge market.

"Manam" is fast approaching the ₹10 crore mark in the country. "Telugu film #Manam crosses $ 1.5 mn in USA. [Weekend 4] Fri $ 4,897, Sat $ 9,724, Sun $ 9,487. Total: $ 1,516,968 [Rs 9.11 cr]. FAB!," film critic and trade analyst Taran Adarsh tweeted.

The film is among other Telugu biggies including "Race Gurram", "1 Nenokkadine", "Attarintiki Daredi", "Gabbar Singh", "Dookudu", "Baadshah", "SVSC" and "Eega" that have surpassed the $1 million mark in the US.

"Manam" hit screens on 23 May and opened to fantastic response worldwide. The film received great reviews from critics and the audiences alike. Positive word of mouth has helped the film fetch good collections at the box office. It has reportedly crossed the ₹35 crore mark (share) worldwide and is gallantly marching towards the ₹40 crore mark.

"Manam" has turned out to be the highest grosser of the Akkineni family. The family drama outperformed other films including Rajinikanth's "Vikramasimha" and Tiger Shroff's "Heropanti", which also hit theatres on the same day as "Manam." The film continues to dominate over new Telugu releases including the comedy entertainer "Jump Jilani", starring Allari Naresh in dual roles.

"Jump Jilani", which released on 13 June, received average reviews from critics and the film opened to poor response at the box office. On the other hand, "Manam" earned around ₹1.5 crore worldwide share in its fourth weekend. The Akkineni starrer has already been declared a blockbuster and the film successfully completed its 25-day run on Monday (15 June),

With no big Telugu releases, "Manam" is expected to continue its decent run in its fifth week as well. The film, directed by Vikram Kumar, deals with the theme of love spanning 100 years – from 1920s to 2020s. Kumar was appreciated for executing a complex story, while the film's main leads Akkineni Nageswara Rao, Nagarjuna and Naga Chaitanya also received accolades for their performances. Many critics called the film a perfect tribute to ANR, who passed away in January 2014.

"Manam" also has Samantha and Shriya Saran in pivotal roles. The film's music, by Anup Rubens, is one of the highlights. The family drama has become a successful venture for Akkineni family who have produced the film under their Annapoorna Studios banner.