Rajni mania grips Andhra Pradesh too!

Hyderabad, June 15 (IANS) Andhra Pradesh was swept by Rajnikant mania Friday as the Tamil superstar's much-awaited film "Sivaji: The Boss" hit screens across the state, with people queuing up for tickets since early morning.

Amid unprecedented craze and enthusiasm by Rajni fans, the Telugu version of the film was released in 300 theatres with tickets being booked for the next 15 days in all cinema halls.

The film was released in 40 theatres in Hyderabad alone and lower-priced tickets, which were not open for advance booking, were sold out within a few minutes of the counters opening.

The film distributors of Andhra Pradesh have bought the movie's rights for a whopping Rs.180 million for the first round of three weeks, breaking the record of Telugu mega star Chiranjeevi's films.

Rajnikant had watched the preview of "Sivaji" with former chief minister and Telugu Desam Party president N. Chandrababu Naidu at Prasad theatre here Thursday - keeping a promise he had made to the politician.

According to him, the film's message to society was that black money bred more grudge, jealousy, greed and grief. But the movie, ironically, has not deterred black marketers from selling tickets for exorbitant prices.

The tickets for balcony, which usually cost Rs.75-Rs.150, are being sold in black for anything between Rs.1,000 and Rs.1,500. Even a Rs.15 ticket is being sold for Rs.300-Rs.350.

"I am thinking of buying a ticket for Rs.300 because there is nothing like watching the first show of a Rajni movie," said D. Vasant, a young fan of the actor.

At Prasad theatres, both the Tamil and Telugu versions of "Sivaji" are being screened - the first time a film is being released in two languages simultaneously.

Bellamkonda Suresh, the distributor of "Sivaji" for Andhra Pradesh, said 270 prints of the film were released in 300 theatres and hoped it would break all box office records.

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Sivaji