Rajinikanth's Kaala pre-release business: Makers yet to sell theatrical rights of Telugu version

Rajinikanth's Kaala, which is set to release on April 27, is getting a fantastic response in its pre-release business. However, the makers are finding it difficult to sell the theatrical rights of its Telugu version.

The makers of Kaala had initially planned to release it in the cinema halls in August, but they preponed its release date to April 27 after Rajinikanth's most-talked-about film – 2.0 – was being postponed. With two months left for its release, the latest we hear is that the producers have already started selling its theatrical rights for various areas and the movie is getting good prices for its rights.

But the rumour mills are abuzz with the news that the makers of Kaala are quoting Rs 40 crore for its Telugu rights. But no one is coming forward to pay this hefty price for a dubbed film. It was also said that a producer was ready to pay Rs 33 crore, but the makers felt the quoted price was too low, for a movie starring Rajinikanth.

The makers of Rajinikanth's 2.0 has reportedly sold out its Telugu rights and a leading distribution house Global Cinemas has acquired the rights for a whopping price of Rs 75 crore. What the makers of Kaala are demanding is little more than half of this amount. Yet, no producer is coming forward to buy them.

Sources from the industry claim that Rs 40 crore may not be a high price for the Telugu rights of Kaala, as Rajinikanth has a huge fan base in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. But it clashes with Mahesh Babu's Bharat Ane Nenu and Allu Arjun's Naa Peru Surya, which are set to hit the screens on the same date. The distributors in the Telugu states are skeptic about the film recovering their investments.

Rajinikanth and Pa Ranjith's earlier venture was Kabali. Kaala is their second venture where the superstar will the playing the role of a gangster Kaala Karikaalan (Rajinikanth). He runs away from Tirunelveli during his childhood and reaches Mumbai where he becomes a powerful don living Dharavi. How he locks horns with a corrupt and conniving politician (Nana Patekar) forms the crux of the story.