Khaleja re-release: Mahesh Babu fan brings live snake to theatre, others vandalise property over trimmed footage
According to reports, a fan in Vijayawada entered a theatre with a snake in his hand. He was seemingly inspired by a scene in the film that shows Mahesh Babu's character walk in the desert with a snake. The fan wanted to recreate the scene. At first, people around him thought it was fake — until it moved and sent others into a panic. A video of the same has gone viral.
In another development, fans expressed disappointment when they found out that approximately 20 minutes of footage, including popular 'Sunday Monday' song, were missing from the re-released version. Several videos of fans expressing their anger and fighting with theatre owners surfaced online.
Also Read | Revisiting Khaleja: Mahesh Babu's underappreciated movie that is among his best works
In one such clip, fans can be seen shouting at theatre staff, demanding an explanation for the trimmed version. Some even damaged theatre property in protest.
A #MaheshBabu fan took fandom to a wild level during the re-release of #Khaleja.
In a viral video shows fan holding a snake inside the jam packed theatre, recreating the film's iconic scene.
Khaleja has become the biggest re-release in Telugu cinema history, surpassing the… pic.twitter.com/0toIcbWm8D
— Ashish (@KP_Aashish) May 30, 2025
Orey song cut chesaru ani chepali kadha raa mundhey fans tho aatalu adadhu @KhalejaTheFilm direct adham pagal dengaru manolu cinema api dengaru …
(Sunday monday song ledhu movie lo)
#Khaleja4K pic.twitter.com/kXGFMJZbyG
— Koushik Naidu (@M_Koushik1203) May 29, 2025
Sunday Monday song ledu
Nalo naku devudu kanipisthunnadu scene ledu
Evadu kodite dhimma thirigi dialogue ledu
Chesthe comedy nene cheyali scene ledu.. inka em chesukodaniki ee re release. Worst planning ra @KhalejaTheFilm 💦💦 #Khaleja4K
Anduke ee gola theatre lopala pic.twitter.com/coBrcH7oCT
— Athidhi 🌶️ (@mbkdhfm) May 29, 2025
With the growing intolerance, exhibitors quickly shared a statement that read, 'We have seen a few tweets that some scenes or songs have not been screened. Please be aware that we only play the content provided by the makers. Do not let us down by creating unnecessary issues. Please understand.'
Soon after, Khaleja's production team responded. Taking to their official X account, they wrote, 'Everything sorted. Enjoy Khaleja 4K to the fullest in theatres near you.'
Also Read | Gaddar Telangana Awards 2025 full winners list: Allu Arjun bags Best Actor award, Kalki 2898 AD wins Best Film award
Directed by Trivikram Srinivas and co-starring Anushka Shetty, Khaleja was remastered in 4K with Dolby Atmos sound for its re-release. Despite its initial lukewarm reception, over the years, the film gained a cult following.
The film saw remarkable advance bookings, earning over Rs 3.5 crore — including revenue from special fan shows on May 29.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Today
an hour ago
- India Today
Kingdom box office Day 2: Major drop for Vijay Deverakonda's spy film on Friday
The Telugu film 'Kingdom' opened on a solid note, but saw a big drop in its collection on Friday at the box office. Starring Vijay Deverakonda, it dropped to around Rs 7.50 crore nett on its second day after earning around Rs 18 crore on Thursday. The film received mixed reviews from critics and the audience, and that could be one reason behind the very visible drop in its emerged as the biggest opener of Deverakonda's career. The film made a sweeping presence in the Telugu market, and ended up attracting more audiences to theatres than expected on Thursday. The two-day collection of the film stands at around Rs 25.50 crore nett, reported the trade website Gowtam Tinnanuri-directorial faced several delays, after which it hit the screens on July 31. 'Kingdom' outperformed Deverakonda's previous release 'The Family Star', which opened with just Rs 5.75 crore. It also slightly surpassed the first-day collection of his 2024 film Khushi, which had earned Rs 15.25 crore on day one. gave a 2.5-star rating to 'Kingdom' in its review, calling it visually striking but lacking in emotional depth. A part of the review reads, "Cinematographers Girish Gangadharan and Jomon T John's frames take us to Sri Lanka, and Anirudh Ravichander's music makes us revel in their world. If only the story also lived up to the expectations, 'Kingdom' would be a wholesome film."The spy action thriller is produced by Naga Vamsi and Sai Soujanya. It also features Satyadev and Bhagyashri Borse in important roles.- EndsMust Watch IN THIS STORY#Vijay Deverakonda
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
Kingdom Box Office Collection Day 2: Vijay Deverakonda's actioner nosedives after historic start, earns Rs 7.5 crore
After a thunderous opening at the box office, Vijay Deverakonda's highly anticipated film Kingdom witnessed a significant decline on its second day of release. According to industry tracker Sacnilk, the film earned Rs 7.5 crore on Day 2, marking a steep drop of approximately 58.33% from its opening day. This brings the film's total two-day collection to Rs 25.5 crore. Despite the drop, the film maintained a respectable overall Telugu occupancy rate of 42.56% on Day 2. It began the day with 27.39% occupancy during morning shows, increased to 38.12% in the afternoon, rose to 43.21% in the evening, and peaked at 61.50% during the night shows. Region-wise, Warangal led with a 69.50% occupancy rate, followed by Mahbubnagar at 56.50%, and Hyderabad at 52.50%. Also Read | Son of Sardaar 2 Box Office Collection Day 1: Ajay Devgn's comedy struggles with Rs 6.75 crore debut amid poor reviews Kingdom had already surpassed the opening day figures of Vijay's previous film Kushi, but its second-day earnings fell slightly short of Kushi's Day 2 collection of Rs 9.9 crore. However, the strong opening helped Kingdom maintain a lead in cumulative earnings, with its two-day total of Rs 25.5 crore edging past Kushi's Rs 25.15 crore. Interestingly, while Kingdom couldn't outdo Liger's Day 1 numbers, its second-day performance of Rs 7.5 crore helped it overtake Liger's two-day total of Rs 23.4 crore. The drop on Day 2 can be attributed, in part, to it being a working day, along with the film receiving mixed reviews. Additionally, Kingdom is facing stiff competition from other releases, including Mohit Suri's Saiyaara, Ajay Devgn's Son of Sardaar, and Karan Johar's Dhadak 2. All eyes are now on the weekend collections, as Kingdom is being viewed as a potential comeback for Vijay Deverakonda after lukewarm responses to his previous outings, Kushi and Liger.
The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
Kargil war veteran turns filmmaker to fight suicide crisis, wins accolades
Gurrapu Jagadishwar Rao, a former Group Captain of the Indian Air Force and Kargil War veteran, has turned to cinema to spread awareness about suicide prevention. The 67-year-old from Kazipet, Telangana, has produced a feature film titled September-10 — named after World Suicide Prevention Day — as part of his ongoing efforts in mental health advocacy. Captain Rao is also credited with influencing the Telangana government to launch a 24x7 toll-free suicide prevention helpline (104) after he authored a book in Telugu on preventive strategies. 'I witnessed the supreme sacrifices of my colleagues during the war. In contrast, I was deeply moved by the preventable deaths by suicide of farmers, students, entrepreneurs and lovers, each case a tragic waste of life. To check this tendency, I visited many villages in Telangana and spoke to the kin of those who died by suicide. I was doing my management course at the ASCI, Hyderabad, during my research on suicides,' Captain Rao says. Following his retirement in 2016, Captain Rao resolved to dedicate his life to suicide prevention. 'Cinema is the most powerful medium to reach the masses. That's why I produced this film in both Kannada and Telugu with English subtitles, to offer hope and educate people through stories drawn from real-life situations,' he explains. The movie recently won three awards — Best Social Film, Best Concept Film and Best Director — at the 17th International Film Festival of Hyderabad Charminar (IFFHC) 2025. Veteran director Om Sai Prakash, who helmed the project, received the Best Director award. 'I am thankful to the director for translating the essence of my book into a compelling narrative,' says Captain Rao, who previously implemented a successful suicide prevention model within the IAF during his service as a Class-I Education Officer. Though September-10 is yet to be released in theatres, it has already attracted critical acclaim. Popular South Indian actor Suman, who attended the festival screening, remarks, 'The film presents the subject of suicide with honesty and emotional depth. It is more than a film; it is a mirror to the silent struggles of people from different walks of life. It urges society to listen, empathise and act with compassion.' Sarah Afreen, a psychiatrist from the Institute of Mental Health at Erragadda in Hyderabad, also praises the film for its psychological depth and sensitivity. 'The film avoids sensationalism and portrays suicide as the result of prolonged emotional suffering, loneliness or trauma. The characters are portrayed with authenticity, making their pain both palpable and relatable,' she says. She adds that the film effectively captures psychological themes through symbolic cinematography using silence, shadows and visual metaphors to communicate isolation and despair. 'It underscores the role of empathy and timely psychological support. Even a single compassionate conversation can make a difference,' notes. A narrative of 5 stories Possibly the first feature film globally to depict a wide spectrum of suicides in a single narrative, September-10 is structured around five interconnected stories. Each segment highlights a different trigger while advocating preventive measures. Farmer Suicides focuses on economic distress caused by crop failures, mounting debts and societal pressures, including dowry demands. Lovers' Tragedy is a rural love story involving two agricultural graduates who are torn apart by class divide and parental opposition, leading the couple to despair. Businessman's Crisis is centered on a self-made entrepreneur who faces financial ruin after risky investments made to meet his spouse's unrealistic ambitions. Student Struggle explores the tension between parental academic expectations and a teenager's passion for sports, leading to internal collapse. Parental Pressure is about a girl, who, burdened by her mother's demand for near-perfect academic scores to secure an overseas job, spirals into hopelessness. A psychiatrist character connects the five narratives, guiding the families toward recovery and reinforcing the central message that suicide is preventable through understanding, timely intervention and emotional support. The film also features stories of people with physical and intellectual disabilities who defy adversity, sending a message of resilience and hope. 'September-10 is not just a film, it is a movement. It urges society to see the warning signs, have open conversations and ensure no one feels so alone that death seems like the only way out. The film's runtime is 1.52 hours,' Captain Rao said, adding that he spent ₹80 lakh on the film production. Several NGOs and associations in Hyderabad are gearing up to screen the movie in September and October for students and the public at large. (Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the State's health helpline 104, Tele-MANAS 14416. and Sneha's suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050)
