Tamil Nadu Box office a.k.a. Kollywood Box office update (March 26th to April 1st) :-

1. RANGASTHALAM :-

1st Weekend : 1.83 crores 

Total Collections : 1.83 crores 

Verdict : Grand Opening


 

2. BAAGHI 2 :-

1st Weekend : 1.45 crores 

Total Collections : 1.45 crores 

Verdict : Grand Opening

3. READY PLAYER ONE :-

1st Weekend : 49 Lakhs 

Total Collections : 49 Lakhs 

Verdict : Decent Opening

4. HICHKI :-

1st Week Total : 80 Lakhs 

2nd Weekend : 26 Lakhs 

Total Collections : 1.06 crores 

Verdict : Blockbuster 

5. KALAKALAPPU 2 :-

7 Weeks Total : 22.44 crores 

8th Weekend : 23 Lakhs 

Total Collections : 22.67 crores 

Verdict : Hit

6. BLACK PANTHER :-

6 Weeks Total : 5.68 crores 

7th Weekend : 11 Lakhs 

Total Collections : 5.79 crores 

Verdict : Blockbuster

7. PACIFIC RIM : UPRISING :-

1st Week Total : 1.54 crores  

2nd Weekend : 10 Lakhs 

Total Collections : 1.64 crores 

Verdict : Flop 

8. RAID :-

2 Weeks Total : 1.58 crores 

3rd Weekend : 9 Lakhs 

Total Collections : 1.67 crores 

Verdict : Super Hit 

9. PADMAAVAT (TAMIL+HINDI+TELUGU) :-

9 Weeks Total : 20.37 crores 

10th Weekend : 7 Lakhs 

Total Collections : 20.44 crores 

Verdict : Blockbuster

10. NAACHIYAAR :-

6 Weeks Total : 12.11 crores 

7th Weekend : 7 Lakhs 

Total Collections : 12.18 crores

Verdict : Above Average

11. SONU KE TITU KI SWEETY :-

5 Weeks Total : 1.57 crores 

6th Weekend : 1 Lakh 

Total Collections : 1.58 crores 

Verdict : Blockbuster

12. HEY JUDE :-

8 Weeks Total : 40.39 Lakhs 

9th Weekend : 0.84 Lakhs 

Total Collections : 41.23 Lakhs 

Verdict : Average

Rangasthalam :-

PLOT :- 

An Irrigation engineer Chitti Babu (Ram Charan) and his NRI brother Kumar Babu (Aadhi Pinisetty) rebel to save Rangasthalam's farmers from the evil president (Jagapathi Babu). 

PERFORMANCES :-  

Chitti Babu is a game changing role for Ram Charan whose career as an actor can now be seen before and after Rangasthalam. His hearing impaired character may not be an ideal Telugu mass hero, but the unique character sketch makes up for it. Chitti is very kind, he has a warm heart, just because he is innocent doesn't mean he isn't smart If someone rubs him the wrong way, Chitti will beat them black and blue. 

Aadhi enacts Kumar Babu with immense honesty and subtlety, not often do we get to see a hero's brother getting almost parallel lead role. Kumar Babu-Chitti Babu will be go down in Tollywood history as an iconic brother duo.  

Jagapathi Babu as President Garu comes as a breathe of fresh air, for once a Telugu villain doesn't scream "Rey ..._-......Nenu Yevaru thelusa", Instead we have a Raghuvaran kind of villain here who spreads fear without talking too much. 

Others like Samantha, Anasuya etc. also performed well.     

TECHNICALITIES :- 

The set erected for Rangasthalam cost 5 crores and its completely worth the final output. Ratnavelu's cinematography was rustic and colorful, this one is his most raw and rooted work since Nandha. Devi Sri Prasad's Music takes cue from Iruvar where AR Rahman put aside his regular tunes and composed aptly as per the film's mood. Songs  and background score was native and loud but never becomes noisy. If observed closely, dialogues were unclear in few scenes, they were not technical errors, it was done on purpose to make audience feel how Chitti Babu hears.

SCRIPT AND DIRECTION :- 

What I liked the most is rural setting was never used as an excuse to have over the top fight scenes and punches. Sukumar has conceived Rangasthalam as a film that's both realistic and mass friendly like Paruthiveeran, Subramaniapuram etc. Sukumar has proved he can make good films without urban setting. In one way, the rural backdrop ensured audience would never feel disconnected with the film even in complex scenes. 
On the downside, Sukumar's attempt to catch audience off guard misfires in few scenes. Those scenes despite being smartly written ones, still leaves us emotionally unconvinced.

THUMBS UP :- 

Ram Charan's performance
Characterizations
Production Design
Cinematography
Music
Screenplay

THUMBS DOWN :- 

Cliched romance
Length
Few unconvincing scenes

Overall : The film's success can be seen as a sign of progress in Tollywood. Baring the cliched romance and item song, Rangasthalam is a proper rural film loaded with passion and depth.