Chiranjeevi calls nephew's Korean Kanakaraju a success, says glad good content won

Chiranjeevi celebrated the success of Korean Kanakaraju alongside nephew Varun Tej. He also praised the film's team and said good content will continue to bring audiences back to theatres.

In Short

• The film opened to mixed reviews but clicked with viewers for comedy
• He rejected claims that OTT viewing alone is keeping crowds away
• Merlapaka Gandhi was praised for blending Korean culture and disciplined filmmaking

Telugu superstar Chiranjeevi recently attended a post-release event for his nephew Varun Tej’s Korean Kanakaraju, which the makers dubbed a success meet. Speaking to the media at the event, the 70-year-old actor opened up about the current state of theatrical cinema, pushing back against the larger perception that audiences are abandoning theatres.

At the event, Chiranjeevi not only congratulated the team behind the horror-comedy but also made a larger point about the theatrical experience. According to the veteran actor, audiences haven’t necessarily moved away from theatres; they simply need a compelling reason to return.

Directed by Merlapaka Gandhi, Korean Kanakaraju stars Varun Tej in the lead, with Ritika Nayak as the female lead and Satya in a key role. Rajeevi Reddy, along with UV Creations, jointly produced the film, which released on August 7. While the film received mixed reviews, its comedy was well appreciated by audiences. According to trade website Sacnilk, the film has collected Rs 24 crore at the worldwide box office in five days.

"After watching this film, I was waiting to come to this event and speak a few good words about it," Chiranjeevi said at the success meet. He added that he was particularly happy to see the film become a success for Varun Tej.

The Khaidi No 150 actor said the film's success was another example of audiences choosing to watch movies in theatres when the content appeals to them. He pointed to a string of recent theatrical successes to counter the perception that viewers are increasingly staying home because of OTT platforms.

"If you look at the second half of the year, the success started with Peddi, followed by Maa Inti Bangaram, Lenin, Chennai Love Story and now Korean Kanakaraju. There are both small and big films, so it is wrong to say that audiences are not coming to theatres because they are staying at home and watching OTT," he said.

"When you watch a film in theatres, it gives you a different kind of enjoyment. When we come up with good content, audiences will encourage films in theatres. These films have proved that," Chiranjeevi added.

The actor also praised the entire Korean Kanakaraju team and its technicians, saying a successful film brings happiness to everyone involved in its making. He said he readily agreed when Varun Tej invited him to the event because he wanted to celebrate the film's success.

"If a film becomes a hit, many people's hearts are filled with happiness and they celebrate that success. I have seen so many successes like this, and once again, I am witnessing one with Korean Kanakaraju," he said. "When Varun Tej asked me to come to this event, I readily agreed. I want to celebrate this kind of success and be a part of it," he added.

Chiranjeevi had special praise for Merlapaka Gandhi, calling him the "main pillar" of the film. He appreciated the director's idea of bringing Korean flavour and culture into the story and said it was one of the key reasons behind the film's success.

"He is the main pillar of this film. The way he brought the Korean flavour and culture into this story is definitely a good thought. That is one of the main reasons for the success of this film, and I appreciate Gandhi for it," Chiranjeevi said.

He also credited Gandhi for completing the film on time and within the estimated budget. "The first success is that the film was completed on time and within the estimated budget. That is because of the director, and I should appreciate him for it," he said.

Varun Tej was another member of the team who received plenty of praise from his uncle. Chiranjeevi said the actor has consistently attempted different kinds of roles rather than sticking to one particular image.

"Irrespective of the result, he has always done versatile roles and wanted to choose different kinds of stories and films. If he continues like this in the near future, he is going to become a versatile actor," he said.

Chiranjeevi cited Varun's films Mukunda, Kanche and Antariksham as examples of his willingness to experiment. "His debut film Mukunda, followed by Kanche and then Antariksham, shows that he has always tried to do different films and wanted to prove himself as an actor," he added.

He also jokingly attributed the success of Korean Kanakaraju to Varun's son Vaayu Tej, calling him his father's lucky charm.

"Varun is saying that he didn't get a break for the last few years, and now he has got a success. I wanted to put this success in Vaayu Tej's account, as he is Varun's lucky charm," Chiranjeevi said.

Comedian Satya, whose performance has been one of the highlights of the film for audiences, also received a special mention. Satya could not attend the success meet because of his shooting commitments, but Chiranjeevi said he knew the comedian was watching the event live.

"Satya actually wanted to come to this event, but because of his busy shooting schedule, he couldn't make it. But I know he is watching this event live. He did a fantastic job. In fact, people can go for a second time just for Satya," he said.

Chiranjeevi also praised Ritika Nayak for her performance as the female lead, telling her that she looked glamorous and fit the role perfectly. He further singled out music director Thaman for his work on the film's background score.

Interestingly, the success meet also became notable for Chiranjeevi himself. During his speech, he appeared to reveal the title of his next film with Daaku Maharaj director Bobby Kolli, reportedly Kadiri, while also mentioning that its teaser would be released on his birthday.

India Today’s review of Korean Kanakaraju acknowledged Satya’s comic timing and Varun Tej’s efforts in the film but pointed out its shallow writing and exhausting execution, deeming it a forgettable horror-comedy. However, the film has turned out to be Varun’s highest-grossing solo-lead film since 2018’s Tholi Prema.

- Ends