Tollywood...on a song

Tollywood���������s filmmakers seem to be in a musical mood this season, going by the titles of some of the films that are in the pipeline.
Upcoming releases like ���������Sar Osthara���������, ���������Tuneega Tuneega���������, ���������Eto Vellipoyindi Manasu���������, ���������Chammak Challo���������, etc., are all titles taken from musical chartbusters.
But will the magic of these hit songs rub onto the films themselves? It does, say industry watchers, citing examples of previous blockbusters like Jandhyala���������s ���������Aha Na Pellanta��������� and ���������Chupulu Kalasina Subha Vela��������� that drew their title inspiration from two chartbusters from the classic film ���������Maya Bazaar���������.
Analysts say that the success of these films is possibly due to the fact that their recall value is very high with the audiences. DS Rao, producer of the film ���������Chammak Challo���������, says. ���������We were scouting for a cool title and our director came up with ���������Chammak Challo���������. Everyone in the unit was excited about it and we chose to go by the title because it���������s catchy and stylish. Also, since the song went on to become a hit, people can easily remember it.��������� That perhaps explains why even films with lengthy titles that were based on famous songs went on to become hits says Rao, citing the examples of films like ���������Aha Na Pellanta���������, ���������Lahiri Lahiri Lahiri lo���������, ���������Choopulu Kalisina Subhavela��������� and ���������Aadavari Matalaku Ardhalu Verule���������. ���������Although these titles were lengthy, they were self explanatory and simple to understand,��������� he says. Trade analysts too opine that what works in favour of these titles is that they have a mass appeal and are equally relatable to the classes.
Given the above reasons, it seems like Tolly filmmakers are getting onto the song bandwagon to cash in on its popularity. Leading the pack is the film ���������Yeto Vellipoyindi Manasu��������� whose title is based on the famous number from the blockbuster film ���������Ninne Pelladutha���������. This Nani-Samantha starrer is a romantic teenage love story and the makers believe the film is suitably titled.
Similarly, ���������Sar Osthara��������� an upcoming Telugu movie starring Ravi Teja, Kajal Aggarwal and Richa Gangopadhyay, draws its inspiration from a chartbuster in Mahesh Babu���������s recent blockbuster ���������Businessman���������. Although the plotline of the film is still not known, going by the title, it seems like it is going to be one more commercial film with a strong romantic angle.
Even MS Raju���������s upcoming film title ���������Tuneega Tuneega��������� is taken from a super hit number from his own super hit film ���������Manasantha Nuvve���������. Defending his choice of title, producer MS Raju says, ���������My film has a fresh casting and the title reflects the feel of the film. It is just a coincidence that the title has the same lines from a famous song.���������
Explaining his approach to a film title, MS Raju, says, ���������I believe that no matter what the name, a film will work only if the content is good. Films like ���������Ala Modalaindi���������, ���������100% Love���������, ���������Pilla Zamindar���������, ���������Eerojullo���������, etc., have rather unusual titles and have been able to draw audiences. Despite its perplexing title, ���������Ala Modalaindi��������� had a decent cast, a good story and did rather well at the box office. Films need to have a strong script and the storytelling needs to be engaging for it to make an impact on the audience. In addition, if the title is captivating, then a double dhamaka at the BO is guaranteed.���������
While that���������s the basic premise, in today���������s world of fierce competition where the opening week collections make or break the film, an eyeball-grabber of a title is what filmmakers are looking at and it doesn���������t matter even if they have to borrow a few lines from a song.