Amidst ongoing family tensions, actor Manchu Manoj had pinned high hopes on his comeback film Bhairavam to regain both confidence and respect within the industry. However, the film’s lukewarm response has left many disappointed — especially Manoj himself.
“He played a character with dark shades and had his moments, but the film failed to ignite at the box office,” said a film distributor. Manoj has reportedly expressed frustration over the re-release of old films, which he believes are hurting the performance of new releases. In particular, Mahesh Babu’s Khaleja, re-released on May 31, directly clashed with Bhairavam at ticket counters across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. “Re-releases should be scheduled on weekdays like Monday rather than occupying key weekend slots, as new films have a lot at stake,” Manoj remarked, avoiding a direct mention of Khaleja.
During the promotional phase, Manoj stirred controversy by sarcastically mocking his brother’s film Kannappa, specifically the iconic ‘Sivayya’ dialogue. He later issued a public apology and wished the devotional project well.
“After a gap of over nine years, it was natural for Manoj to aim for decent collections. But in today’s industry, box office numbers outweigh talent. He now awaits Mirai, where he plays a significant role, hoping for a bounce-back in the coming months,” the distributor added.
Though Manoj portrayed a fierce, emotional character in Bhairavam, his performance was criticized for being too loud and over-expressive, which may not have connected with audiences. The film opened with Rs 6 crore over its first weekend and reportedly needs to recover Rs 16 crore in the coming days — a tough challenge, according to the distributor.
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