Can Naandhi survive the Uppena storm?

Allari Naresh’s desperate effort to change gears from the comedy hero-image has finally worked. Naandhi has opened to unanimously positive reviews all over and most critics have had great words of praise for the actor. It’s heartening that Telugu audiences are embracing change and accepting story-driven films. Good word of mouth should enhance its theatre count over the weekend. However, a bigger challenge lies ahead.

Chakra has had a bigger release in the Telugu states than both Kapatadhaari and Naandhi and is a film that works well for the masses. It should be able to counter Chakra first, which is not going to be easy. Naandhi has a relatively dark story and one can’t be sure if family audiences would watch it in the days to come. Another factor that team Naandhi has to keep in mind is the Uppena wave.

Uppena has been earning collections on par with any star film in its first week and given the appealing cinematography, music, it should be able to draw repeat audiences as well. Naandhi’s first week is extremely crucial because it’ll have a bigger competition to tackle in the form of Nithiin’s Check from February 26. Does Naandhi have the ammunition to get through this tricky phase?