Vijayawada, T-wood’s new pit stop

While Hyderabad has always been the hub for film promotions, it is now slowly facing a tough competition from its counterpart in the other state, Vijaywada. Tollywood events being held in the residual state’s capital is a testimony to that

From the word go, Telugu movies’ audio launches are exciting. With celebrity guests in tow and the fan frenzy in full spirits, the mood is always soaring high. While Hyderabad has been the epicenter of Telugu cinema for nearly three decades, Vijayawada seems to have now become a new destination as more and more filmmakers are opting for this city to promote films.

With two recent audio launches – Naga Chaitanya’s ‘Oka Laila Kosam’ and Gopichand’s ‘Loukyam – being held in the city and one more film (Ram Gopal Varma’s ‘Ice Cream 2’) planning the same, it has become obvious that Vijayawada is one Telugu cinema destination to watch out for. We can safely assume that audio launches will be regular phenomena in the city.

But when we say destination, it’s not gaining popularity as a shoot locale. Rather, it is the new hub for film promotions. And the people of Vijayawada seem to be lapping up this new trend too. This was evident from the huge turnout at the audio launch of ‘Oka Laila Kosam’ in a mall in the city.

Also, the audio launch of 2013 hit film, Ravi Teja-starrer ‘Balupu’ was initially planned in the city but due to unknown reasons, the venue was later shifted to Hyderabad.

So why Vijayawada when Hyderabad has been ‘the’ place all the while? “It is something different and hasn’t been explored much. Also Ram Gopal Varma has an association with the city and so it became a viable choice for us,” says Thummalapalli Ramasatyanarayana, the producer of ‘Ice Cream 2’.

Gopichand, whose film ‘Loukyam’ had its audio launch in the city on Sunday, said something similar and recalled his connect with the city. “My father-in-law belongs to this city and it’s kind of home. It has been a really long time since I came here and it feels great,” he said.

While the “connect” and “new place” are being flaunted as the reason, industry insiders say that the division of the state is one of the prime reasons for this new trend. Says a source, “Now that there are two states, it is the need of the hour to ensure audiences on both sides of the border get a dose of their matinee idols. Also, the Andhra Pradesh government is making efforts to attract the stars from tinsel town.”

The opinion is echoed by Rama Satyanarayana, who says, “One reason we planned the audio launch at Vijayawada is because they invited us.”

With tough competition between the two capitals, it is surely the fans who are going to get the best out of this fad. In an industry where everybody salutes the rising sun, this new trend is sure to catch up and is definitely here to stay!