Devara’s box office journey has been like a sudden burst of light, cutting through the shadows of doubt after *Kalki 2898 AD*. The film, racing toward the coveted five-hundred crore gross, has redefined early expectations with its midnight premieres across the Telugu states. Despite initial skepticism and trade concerns about early shows affecting the film’s talk, *Devara* surprised everyone by pulling in massive collections. Producer Nagavanshi addressed these concerns at a recent *Lucky Bhaskar* press meet, reflecting on the unexpected triumph.
The comparison with *Guntur Karam* is inevitable. Earlier, *Guntur Karam*’s early shows were seen as a minus, with some saying that the pre-release buzz damaged its talk. However, *Devara* has proven that early premieres have no detrimental impact on a film’s performance. This revelation is significant, especially considering the mixed response to *Guntur Karam*. The expectations for that film were sky-high, with fans of Mahesh Babu and Trivikram eagerly awaiting something extraordinary. When the content didn’t live up to those expectations, the film faced a lukewarm reception. Also Read – Rajendra Prasad
Had *Guntur Karam* received a response akin to *Devara*, it might have shattered non-Rajamouli records, as Nagavamshi suggested. The lukewarm success of *Guntur Karam* shows that the lack of content outweighed the impact of early screenings. On the other hand, *Devara*’s triumph has demonstrated the opposite, with the film turning early shows into an asset. This success not only boosted the confidence of the makers but also paved the way for future blockbusters.
Thanks to *Devara*, upcoming big films like *Pushpa 2*, *Game Changer*, *Vishwambhara*, and *NBK109* will now fearlessly embrace midnight premieres. The massive openings and the wave of positive talk that follows are expected to result in huge collections, just as *Devara* has shown. In this sense, *Devara* has given the industry a newfound confidence that early shows are not a risk, but a path to greater success.