Telugu superstar Nandamuri Balakrishna, who is known by his mononym Balakrishna, is much more than being "just a superstar". His charismatic persona is hyper magnetic.
Plush seats, air-conditioned halls, and Dolby Atmos sound system that's what the cine-goers today are familiar with or expect when a movie plan is made. However, Indian cinema began with the tradition of showing movies in tents, known as touring talkies.
With the flow of time, the touring talkies became obsolete. But thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, touring talkies are making a grand comeback.
With movies like Goru and Khyonachar touring talkies has already made a comeback in Assam and several filmmakers and distributors are now following the suit in other parts of the country as well.
Well, Balakrishna has got nothing to do with Goru or Khyonachar. It is about his 2021 movie Akhanda, which is also available on Disney+ Hotstar. The movie now has witnessed a theatrical release as well.
After the OTT release of Akhanda, an entire village near Guntur has watched the film on a projector screen. Keeping the legalities of the same aside, it's quite rare that OTT, which is essentially meant for viewing in the comfort of our homes, can bring people together in such an unexpected way. Realising that not everyone in the village may have a subscription to the streaming platform, the screening was arranged in an open ground.
"This is the power of Nandamuri Balakrishna. The joy and thrill that he gives on the big screen are unmatched when it comes to OTT platforms," the organisers of the show informed.
It is worth recalling that a few weeks prior to Akhanda's OTT premier, fans came in trucks and lorries to watch the film in theatres.
Akhanda has smashed numerous records, including the previously impossible 50-day-run in over 103 locations after the movie premiered on December 2, 2021.
The movie has earned over Rs 200 crore from both theatrical and non-theatrical earnings.
"Nandamuri Balakrishna has an unmatched fan following. An entire village coming together to watch a previously released movie only goes on to prove it," the organisers of the touring talkies reiterated.
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