Mahesh Babu's Khaleja Turns Re-Release Gold, Expected to Cross Rs 14 Crore Mark
2 Jun 2025 11:18 AM
What’s even more remarkable is that Khaleja, despite being considered a box-office disappointment during its original run, has now found a renewed audience
A 40 feet cut-out of Mahesh Babu in a Bengaluru theatre for the re-release of his movie Khaleja (Photo: X)
Superstar Mahesh Babu continues to reaffirm his enduring mass appeal, even with re-releases. His film Khaleja, originally released in 2010, has seen an overwhelming response during its recent re-release in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, drawing packed houses from major cities like Hyderabad to smaller towns such as Miryalaguda.
According to exhibitor-turned-distributor Madala Ramakrishna and joint secretary of Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce, Khaleja has emerged as a clear winner across A, B, and C centres, making it one of the biggest re-release successes in Tollywood. The film has already grossed Rs 9 crore and is expected to cross Rs 14 crore, setting new benchmarks for re-released films in Telugu cinema. “The response has been phenomenal. Khaleja even received bookings worth over ₹1 crore, a figure typically reserved for new theatrical releases,” Ramakrishna noted.
What’s even more remarkable is that Khaleja, despite being considered a box-office disappointment during its original run, has now found a renewed audience. The film’s storyline — with Mahesh Babu portraying a savior-like character — seems to have struck a chord with modern viewers and fans alike. This isn’t a one-off. "Mahesh Babu has already delivered two other massive re-release hits with Pokiri and Businessman. All three now rank among the top 7 highest-grossing re-releases in Tollywood history," he adds.
While re-releases of films by other major stars such as Chiranjeevi (Jagadeka Veerudu Athiloka Sundari), Jr NTR (Yamadonga), Pawan Kalyan ( Gabbar Singh), and Prabhas (Salaar) have also drawn crowds, Mahesh Babu stands out for his consistent dominance in this space. “Mahesh Babu practically pioneered the modern re-release trend with Pokiri, followed it up with Businessman, and now Khaleja. This hat-trick of success placed him ahead of his contemporaries. "I can't take names of actors, but Mahesh Babu is more crowd-pleasing," Ramakrishna quipped.
With fans showing up in droves and box office records tumbling, it’s safe to say Mahesh Babu has carved out a unique niche as the Uncrowned King of Re-Releases in Telugu cinema. 'The success of re-releases has revived interest in theatres which were witnessing depleting footfalls and also restores the charm of watching movies in theatres. Enjoying movies in a dark theatre with strangers is an irreplaceable feeling,' he concludes.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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