After a Strong Start, Thandel Sees a Dip in Collections

“The net collections for Thandel on Monday stood at ₹3.84 crore, a significant drop from Sunday’s ₹8.40 crore in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana,” says distributor Kumar from the Rayalaseema region. “The film amassed over ₹24 crore in its first three days, giving Naga Chaitanya a much-needed breather after the setback of Custody,” he adds.

Despite its strong start, the fishermen-based drama—reportedly made on a budget of over Rs 70 crore—needs a rapid surge in revenue to move towards profitability. “Tuesday’s collections hovered around ₹2 crore-plus. To sustain momentum, the film must appeal to a wider audience beyond Akkineni fans,” Kumar notes. “The challenge is compounded by the release of four to five new films on February 14, along with increased ticket prices in Andhra Pradesh, which may deter family audiences.”

Producer Lagadapati Sridhar, while avoiding the numbers game, acknowledges certain screenplay flaws. “The love story between Naga Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi could have been developed better. For instance, how the hero wins over Sai Pallavi, who is portrayed as a strong-minded woman, would have added a more youthful and engaging element. Instead, the film presents them as already committed and ready for marriage, missing an emotional build-up,” he explains.

Sridhar also points out an inconsistency in the narrative. “Sai Pallavi’s character agreeing to marry a stranger (Karunakaran) due to issues with her lover—who is away at sea—somewhat weakens the love story’s depth,” he says.

While certain sequences, like Naga Chaitanya struggling to contact his love whenever he gets a signal at sea, add charm, the film’s shift in genre during the jail episodes raises questions. “A Pakistani terrorist, who should be resentful of his own government for imprisoning him, instead behaves like a nationalist and mocks Indian fishermen, including Naga Chaitanya. His insults towards the Indian flag feel more forced than organic,” he points out.

The attempt to blend romance with patriotism also met with mixed reactions. “Audiences love Sunny Deol delivering patriotic monologues in films like Gadar 2, but suddenly transforming fishermen into fervent patriots felt a bit unconvincing,” he concludes.

At the success meet of Thandel, veteran star Nagarjuna expressed both relief and pride over the film’s reception. “I was nervous on the release day, hoping to hear it was a success, given the immense effort Chaitanya put in,” he said. He also remarked that it had been a long time since he attended a success meet and was thrilled for Chaitanya.

Nagarjuna praised his son’s performance, stating, “Chaitanya has evolved into a complete actor. His body language and mannerisms as Raju remained consistent, even in small scenes.” He also hinted at a promising future for the Akkineni family, declaring, “2025 will be a big year for us—Thandel is just the beginning.”

Adding to the buzz, actress Sobhita Dhulipala made her first public appearance with Chaitanya as his wife at the event. The moment turned lighthearted when Chaitanya was prompted to call Sobhita ‘Bujji Thalli’, a term he used for Sai Pallavi’s character in the film, drawing smiles from the audience