The Paradise Hits Screens: Strong Telugu Buzz, Slow Tamil Nadu Start for Nani

Nani's The Paradise, directed by Srikanth Odela, reached theatres worldwide on September 24 after premiere shows on September 23. The mass action entertainer pairs Nani with Kayadu Lohar and is produced by Sudhakar Cherukuri under the SLV Cinemas banner. It also reunites the actor and director who earlier made Dasara together.

Advance bookings reportedly moved at a fast pace in the Telugu states and overseas, and reports suggested the film was set to open as the biggest grosser of Nani's career. Tamil Nadu reportedly told a different story. Apart from the premiere shows, many Day 1 shows for the Tamil version were said to be far from full across several centres.

Trade experts reportedly blamed weak promotions by the makers in the state, and feel the film's fate there now rests on word of mouth. Nani has a fan base in Tamil Nadu, yet his top earner in the state is still reported to be Naan Ee, which collected over 23 crores. His last release, HIT 3, reportedly made only around 3 crores there. Whether The Paradise can finally beat Naan Ee is now the big question.

The film is also playing in Kannada, where actor Dheekshithh Shetty voiced Nani's character Jadal. In a social media post, Shetty said this was the first time he had dubbed for a role he did not perform himself, and that he had to find the character's emotion and intensity through his voice alone. He praised Odela for building the film's world, hailed the depth of Nani's performance and thanked SLV Cinemas for backing the project.

Early opinion has not been all praise. According to reports, some viewers feel Nani's complete makeover for the Jadal look did not connect, and the story has been called weak and familiar, with illogical stretches. One critique argued that the A certificate and the violent tone could push away the family audiences who loved Nani in feel-good hits like Bhale Bhale Magadivoy, Jersey and Hi Nanna.