A few movies have managed to live up to their billing; fewer still have managed to achieve the same in their sequels too. If the reaction of audiences who watched Singam-2 ‘first-day first-show’ is any barometer, then the movie, based on the conflict between an honest police officer and international smugglers is perhaps poised for an extended run at the box-office. A sense of excitement pervaded among fans of the actor was palpable, and not without ample reason. Following Singam (2010), Surya delivered a string of box-office duds, in Ratha Charithram, 7am Arivu and Maatraan. As R Venu, head of the South Chennai Surya Fans Association, puts it: “Surya is the only reason we are all here to watch Singam-2. We want it to be a runaway hit.” As for the movie’s fortunes, there were a few indicators as to which way its wind may blow. Audiences which streamed out of the theatres after watching it largely gave the thumbs-up, though they felt that the second half was a tad too predictable and lengthy. Not one said that Singam-2 had an innovative plot that could spring a surprise or two. However, the stand-out factor in the movie, it seems, is its ensemble cast comprising Hollywood import Danny Sapani as the antagonist, Belles Anushka Shetty, Hansika Motwani and Anjali (in an item number), and actors Vivek and Santhanam in comedy roles. Saravanan, a resident of Tondiarpet and a die-hard fan of Surya, who had traveled all the way to the Udhayam Movie Complex in Ashok Nagar, terms the movie a typical ‘masala’ entertainer. “I had more than my fill of entertainment. It was refreshing to watch Surya back in an out-and-out action-oriented role,” he adds. Expectations are also high from owners of movie screens. Abirami Ramanathan, director of the Abirami Mega Mall, concedes that expectations riding on the movie have been phenomenally high. “All shows for the movie at our multiplex, which is screened at four screens have been sold out for the next four days.” He adds that a clear picture of the same would emerge after a couple of days. However, he hastens to add that the reports about the movie from Dubai , where Singam-2 was released a day before, have been “extra-ordinary”. Their celebrations may not rival those conducted by fan associations of ‘Superstar’ Rajinikanth, but fan clubs and associations of actor Surya managed to put up a show of festivity across movie halls in the city. There weren’t the abhishekams to cut-outs and flexes, nevertheless festoons and posters dwarfed entrances to movie halls. It was a jamboree for the fans at eight movie halls, where they gathered in advance and danced to the thappu and distributed sweets to visitors. “We intend performing homas and pulling temple rathams ahead of the actor’s birthday, which falls on July 23,” adds Venu. Meanwhile, the craze for the first-day first-show also led to the inevitable sales of tickets in ‘black’. A Rs 70 ticket sold for Rs 150-200 at Udhayam and Rs 300 at Albert movie screens.
Posted on: Sat, 06 Jul 2013 09:53:52 +0000
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