In the Telugu film industry, a star hero took on a simple storyline with a subtle twist at the end. This movie’s character-driven approach, memorable dialogues, and fantastic songs established a new trend, ultimately being hailed as an industry hit. Remarkably, it took almost three years for another film to surpass its box office collections. Which film could achieve such a feat? None other than “Pokiri,” starring Mahesh Babu. Today, as we celebrate the 17th anniversary of its release, let’s reminisce about the excitement it generated back then.
Mass Touch
Puri Jagannath’s boldness merits recognition for setting new records with Mahesh Babu, who, at that time, hadn’t established a robust action film repertoire, and for choosing the movie title “Pokiri.” This title played a significant role in attracting a mass audience to the theaters.
Style Statement
The protagonist of the film is a gangster, so shouldn’t he have a distinct appearance? That’s why both the director and actor collaborated, ultimately deciding to wear one shirt layered over another. This style created a notable trend during that time.
Powerful Dialogues
Puri Jagannath is known for his mass dialogues, and “Pokiri” is no exception. The character Pandu delivered lines like, “When I commit, I only listen to myself.” These power-packed dialogues contributed to the film’s success at that level. As we celebrate 17 years of this trendsetting film, let’s remember the unique elements that made “Pokiri” an industry hit and continue to make it a memorable film.
Swag Songs
There’s no need to specially mention how big of a hit the songs in the movie Pokiri were. Who can forget the swag step Mahesh performed while sitting on a chair, as the song “Dole Dole Dil Zara Zara” played? All 6 songs in the movie were super hits.
Krishna Manohar IPS
When Gangster Pandugadu rained bullets on his enemies and Krishna Manohar appeared as an IPS officer in a police getup, that scene alone gave huge goosebumps! It just wouldn’t be the same without Puri’s unique touch.
Industry Hit
Did anyone expect this movie will be that big hit? Some even said that it wouldn’t work out. But once it was released, everyone was surprised. It became an industry hit. With a budget of INR 10 crores, it made INR 66 crores in return. Earning INR 66 crores back then is equivalent to earning INR 1000 crores now. In re-releases, Pokiri collected INR 1.7 crores.
Did you know how Mahesh ended up with this movie?
When Puri makes a movie, it usually takes three months to complete. He doesn’t waste any time. If one hero takes too long to decide, he’ll move on to another. That’s how Pokiri came to Mahesh Babu. Initially, Puri narrated the story to Pawan Kalyan, but he didn’t show much interest. Then, he approached Ravi Teja, but due to some reasons, it didn’t work out. He even considered making the movie with Sonu Sood, but that idea also fell through. Finally, Mahesh agreed, and the project started.
The Initial Title for Pokiri
Before settling on the title Pokiri, Puri had initially thought of naming the movie “Uttam Singh S/o Surya Narayana.” However, Mahesh suggested that it should be changed to better suit the taste of Telugu audiences. Puri agreed and finalized the title as “Pokiri.”
