'Game Changer' underperforms; distributors to face $2M loss in America
What's the story
Telugu political thriller Game Changer, starring Ram Charan, has fallen short of box office expectations. After the success of Pushpa 2, expectations were high from this film about an IAS officer's mission to cleanse the system.
However, it has only raked in ₹117 crore in India and $1.98 million in North America in its first week.
Reportedly, this is way below its break-even target of $4.5 million, leaving distributors staring at losses of over $2 million.
Industry impact
'Game Changer's disappointing performance has sparked industry concerns
The underperformance of Game Changer has reignited debates over whether high acquisition costs should exist in overseas markets.
Notably, production costs and acquisition prices for Telugu films have been rising, especially in North America.
The region is a key market for Telugu cinema as Telugu is the 11th most spoken language in the US.
However, recent trends indicate inflated acquisition prices may be unsustainable.
Even Pushpa 2's break-even target equaled its total box office collection, leaving little profits for distributors.
Controversy
'Game Changer' makers got themselves into BO figures manipulating controversy
Game Changer has been suffering at home, too.
Despite any major competition, it has not been able to monopolize the domestic box office. Having Charan of RRR fam and Bollywood star Kiara Advani hasn't worked.
Moreover, the production team announcing inflated global box office figures on Day 1 resulted in an embarrassing controversy.
Have you watched the S Shankar directorial yet?