The summer movie season kicks off at the end of March, with two Telugu films - Mad 2 and Robin Hood - set to compete.
Alongside them, two dubbed films, Emperor 2 (a sequel to Lucifer, starring Mohanlal) and Vikram's Veera Dheera Sooran, are also in the race.
While theater distribution won't be a major issue, opening-day collections will have to be shared, making word-of-mouth crucial.
The dubbed films have a multilingual advantage, so their Telugu release isn't as critical.
However, for the Telugu originals, Mad 2 and Robinhood, success is vital.
Nithiin and director Venky Kudumala need Robin Hood to perform well, and while advance sales are crucial, exhibitor cooperation will play a key role.
Similarly, Mad 2 faces challenges. Its market value across two states is high, due to youth audience's patronage for this franchise. But securing exhibitor support remains crucial.
With no major releases in the first week of April, Mad 2 and Robinhood could benefit from rescheduling. However, if both stick to their planned dates, stiff competition might affect their box office prospects.
We'll have to wait and see if Robinhood decides to step back from the competition, given the number of films releasing that week.
More importantly, if that happens, the makers should consider securing a solo release date to avoid any impact on the opening collections.
