Pawan Kalyan's Ustaad Bhagat Singh, set to release on March 26, is facing a major challenge, screen count. The film's makers are gearing up for aggressive promotions, but the release of two major Pan-India films, Toxic and Dhurandhar 2, just a week prior, is creating screen pressure.
Toxic, starring Yash, and Dhurandhar 2, the sequel to Bollywood's industry hit, are releasing on March 19 in multiple languages, including Telugu. With a reported ₹500+ crore budget and strong distribution backing, Toxic is likely to occupy a large chunk of theatres, impacting Ustaad Bhagat Singh's screen allocation.
The impact won't be limited to Telugu states alone, as both films are Pan-India releases. Screen allocation pressure is expected in almost all major circuits. Adding to this, Sharwanand's Biker is scheduled to release on April 3, backed by Dil Raju in Telugu states, creating another layer of distribution complexity.
Trade analysts believe that while Ustaad Bhagat Singh will command strong fan-driven openings, achieving a huge theatre count similar to other major star releases may be challenging. The film's success will heavily depend on its first weekend performance.
Ustaad Bhagat Singh, directed by Harish Shankar, carries strong expectations, given the duo's previous success with Gabbar Singh. The makers are hoping for another massive commercial entertainer, but the current scenario poses significant challenges.