Building a Blockbuster: How Khadi 150 became a super hit

Khaidi No. 150 released on 11 January and hit right on the jackpot, with its collections nearing Rs 150 crore at the box office. The movie is by far one of the biggest openings of the megastar! That added an another feather to his already crowded cap.

 

Interestingly, the movie had a better first day opening than Aamir Khan’s Dangal, collected Rs 41.19 crore. As the movie has indeed turned out a commercial success - it is safe to say, the Boss is back with a bang indeed! 

 

Now, the questions is - What strategy did Chiranjeevi come up with to enter cross ₹100 crore? Did he follow a foolproof plan? 

 

 

Here are eight things that may have worked in the star’s favour -

 

Entertainment with a social message: Khaidi No. 150 is the Telugu remake of the Tamil movie Kaththi. As Chiranjeevi confirmed in an interview, he chose this story specifically as he believed it had not only a social angle with a brilliant message but was also a commercial spinner. 

 

Festival release: The filmmakers of Khaidi no 150 planned for a grand release on the auspicious occasion of Pongal. Just like how Bollywood actors Salman Khan, Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh release their movies on festivals like Eid, Christmas and Diwali respectively. But in South India, Pongal goes on for four days, so cashing in on during this festival period is the right way to go. 

 

 

Hype about the movie: The movie was in the limelight not only because it was Chiranjeevi’s comeback film, but because it was his 150th film. The filmmakers even incorporated it in the Title – Khaidi no 150. The movie was grabbing headline every second day  - over the smallest detail. This level of press hype is crucial for that first-day momentum. 

 

Chiranjeevi’s special number with Raai Lakshmi: We all know, Chiranjeevi is not only known for his acting skills but also for his epic dancing moves. His swag and unique dances have been his USP for decades. Therefore the makers decided to add a special item number in the movie. The song Ratthaalu, with Raai Lakshmi, added that extra masala with Telugu audiences appreciate so much. 

 

 

Special cameos: Telugu actor Allu Arjun made a cameo appearance in the movie both uncle and nephew set to the screen on fire. According to reports, Allu Arjun requested Chiranjeevi to make him part of this movie, and the megastar just couldn’t refuse.  

 

Home production: Khaidi no 150 was produced by Chiranjeevi's son Ram Charan, who marked his debut as a producer with this film. As a comeback movie, it was a smart decision to produce it under their home banner. Costs could be maintained, and every scene could be under Chiranjeevi's control. Not to mention, the profits stay 'in house'. 

 

 

Storyline changed to suit the megastar’s image: We all know the movie was an official remake of the Tamil movie Kaththi. However, the Telugu version has been tweaked to suit the megastar’s image and the audience. A grand dose of 'entertainment' has been pumped into the original script - which suited the megastar's onscreen persona. 

 

Kajal Aggarwal: With this movie, Kajal Aggarwal and Chiranjeevi will debut as an on-screen pair. Initially, people were surprised considering the age gap between the two. But Telugu audience loved their pair, and the actress looked incredibly gorgeous in the movie. Perhaps not much, but she certainly gave the film a decent-sized boost.