Telugu cinema this weekend: Can Karthikeya 2, Macherla Niyojakavargam make a mark amidst Laal Singh Chaddha?

The Telugu film industry heaved a new sigh of relief with both the releases last weekend, Sita Ramam and Bimbisara, opening to tremendous response all over. Will the momentum continue with the pre-Independence day weekend too? Alike the previous week, multiple films are trying to grab the eyeballs of crowds at the theatres. Surprisingly, all of them look equally promising.

The three prominent releases this weekend are Macherla Niyojikavargam, Karthikeya 2 and Laal Singh Chaddha (dubbed). Macherla Niyojakavargam, starring Nithin, Krithi Shetty and Catherine Tresa in prominent roles, is directed by editor-turned-filmmaker Rajashekar Reddy. Karthikeya 2, starring Nikhil, Anupama Parameswaran in prominent roles, is directed by Chandoo Mondeti and is a sequel to the 2014-release Karthikeya.

Macherla Niyojikavargam appears to be old wine in a new bottle, a commercial entertainer where Nithin is cast in the a role of a collector. The trailer hints at a battle between antagonist Rajappa, a regional leader played by Samuthirakani and protagonist Siddharth Reddy, played by Nithiin. Mahathi Swara Sagar is the composer of the film.

The music of Macherla Niyojakavargam has already struck a chord with crowds. Ra Ra Reddy is a big hit with music buffs while the background score is decent, going by the trailer. The production values and art direction suit the backdrop. Nithiin is as energetic as ever in an action avatar with Krithi Shetty making several heads turn with her girl-next-door charm.

The makers of the Nithiin starrer have been promoting the film aggressively to create a good buzz among audiences. The story may not offer anything out of the box but if the director manages to engage the audience with a gripping screenplay, Macherla Niyojakavargam will have an edge in the mass pockets.

The other release, Karthikeya 2, faced multiple postponements already and is slated to hit theatres on August 13. The film was pushed to August 13 (from August 12 and July 22) to avoid a direct clash with Macherla.. and Naga Chaitanya's Thank You. This film is a mystical thriller set amidst the temple town Dwaraka. The promos have garnered good feedback to date.

The cinematography by Karthik Gattamneni and the music score by Kaala Bhairava are among the major assets of the film. The expectations around Karthikeya 2 are high, owing to the standards set by its prequel blockbuster Karthikeya. Nikhil looks dapper in his role while Anupama has a good screen presence in the role of Mugdha.

Considering Karthikeya 2’s universal appeal, if the team succeeds in providing enough thrills, this film has a chance of being a faithful second instalment. Both the Telugu films will also have to battle the Telugu dubbed release (and the Hindi version) of Aamir Khan's Laal Singh Chaddha, which may appear an underdog in the Telugu states but can spring a surprise. The movie is a remake of the Tom Hanks starrer Forrest Gump.

Both Macherla Niyojakavargam and Karthikeya 2 have a good chance of tasting success if they deliver what they promised in the promos. Karthikeya 2 has an edge over the rest because of the expectations created by the first part. If both films impress the audience, TFI may very well continue its success streak.