Telugu cinema this Diwali: Maruthi's Manchi Rojulochaie, Rajinikanth's Peddhanna and Enemy to fight it out at the box office

What to expect at the cinemas across Telugu states this weekend? We take a look.

Diwali is a festive season that doesn't generally witness direct Telugu film releases, unlike other popular festivals like Sankranti, Dasara, Vinayaka Chaturthi and Ugadi. This is in stark contrast to the scenario in Tamil and Hindi cinema where there are big box office clashes. On most occasions, Telugu audiences are habituated to watching dubbed films and Hindi releases for Diwali. This time around surprisingly, there's one straight Telugu release - filmmaker Maruthi's Manchi Rojulochaie is gearing up to hit theatres on November 4.

Manchi Rojulochaie will compete for audience's attention alongside two dubbed films (from Tamil to Telugu) - Rajinikanth's Peddanna and Vishal-Arya starrer Enemy. It doesn't need saying that Peddhanna, the action entertainer, is the frontrunner for this festive weekend, despite the fact that Rajinikanth hasn't tasted box office success in Telugu for a long time. Apart from the veteran, the cast comprising familiar names like Meena, Khushbu and Keerthy Suresh should work to its advantage. Two leading names - Suresh Productions and Asian Cinemas - are distributing the film across Telugu states.

Those who feel Peddhana may be too old-school are certain to watch Maruthi's Manchi Rojulochaie. Maruthi has established himself well among family audiences in recent years and the credibility that he enjoys in the comedy genre should help the film take off on a decent note. The lead actors, Santosh Shobhan, Mehreen Pirzada, may not exactly be crowd pullers though word of mouth will be crucial for the film. Anup Rubens' music, the ensemble cast comprising Ajay Ghosh, Praveen, Vennela Kishore, could give it an edge. The film is made on a small budget, which may help its makers to taste profits quickly.

Vishal, Arya starrer Enemy, directed by Anand Shankar, will start off as a darkhorse in the box office, though one can't underestimate its potential. Director Anand Shankar is a trusted name for stylish actioners and the slick trailer hints at an action blitzkrieg that merits a big-screen experience. The presence of Mamta Mohandas, Prakash Raj is a bonus too. Ultimately, all three films promise something different for audiences. While Peddanna is typical rural mass masala, Manchi Rojulochaie is a comedy and Enemy promises to be a feast for action junkies.

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