Diwali has always been a prime season for movie releases. While Sankranthi and Dasara are usually reserved for big Telugu films, Diwali often brings a mix of straight and dubbed releases. Last year, KA, Lucky Baskhar, and Amaran (dubbed) clashed during the festive weekend, and all three films performed well with good word of mouth.
This year, the competition is even stiffer. A total of six films are lined up for Diwali, including three dubbed releases. On the Telugu front, Mithra Mandali, Telusu Kada and K Ramp are the confirmed releases. All three are medium-scale films relying heavily on positive word of mouth to perform well at the box office.
Adding to the race are three major dubbed films. The first is Dude, starring Tamil actor Pradeep Ranganathan, who gained popularity in Telugu with Love Today and Dragon. The film is written and directed by Keerthiswaran, with music by Sai Abhyankkar. Produced by Mythri Movie Makers, Dude releases on October 17.
Next is Bison, featuring Dhruv Vikram under Maari Selvaraj’s direction. The sports drama stars Anupama Parameswaran, Lal, Pasupathy, and Rajisha Vijayan. The film has music by Nivas K Prasanna and is co-produced by Pa Ranjith. Bison also releases on October 17.
The third dubbed entry is Thamma, part of the Maddock horror-comedy universe that includes Stree and Stree 2. For the first time, a film from this franchise is getting a Telugu release, largely because it stars Rashmika Mandanna. Thamma hits theatres on October 21.
The release lineup stands as follows:
October 16: Mithra MandaliOctober 17: Telusu Kada, Dude (Dubbed), Bison (Dubbed)October 18: K RampOctober 21: Thamma (Dubbed)
Meanwhile, Kantara: Chapter 1, which released last week, is still holding well and will compete for screens.With three straight Telugu films and three dubbed entries, this Diwali promises one of the most crowded and competitive release weeks in recent memory.