The most eagerly awaited day for Power Star fans has finally arrived. Pawan Kalyan’s Sardaar Gabbar Singh has released today amidst humongous expectations and festival like celebrations. Naturally, fans would go to any extremes to grab a ticket to watch Pawan setting the screens on fire on the first day first show. This extreme sycophancy has resulted in a series of mishaps.

According to the latest reports, a diehard fan of Pawan Kalyan in Mancheriyal, Adilabad poured kerosene tried to set himself ablaze after failing to get Sardaar’s fdfs ticket at Srinivasa Talkies. Thankfully, a major danger was averted after the people around rescued him immediately.

Police took the fan into custody. In another incident, a major stampede took place at Vishnu Theater in Vanasthalipuram when hundreds of fans rushed towards the ticket counter all at once. A fan suffered serious injuries to his hand and several other fans too suffered minor injuries.

Security officials got them admitted to hospital for treatment. Furthermore, hundreds of Pawan fans in Khammam attacked the Parameswari theater staff for allegedly selling all the tickets in black.

In another case of outrage, Pawan fans damaged the furniture inside a theater in Chowtuppal in Nalgonda after the screening of Sardaar Gabbar Singh was halted due to a technical failure.

Ever since Pawan Kalyan’s Sardaar Gabbar Singh opened in cinemas, one thing that caught Kajal’s fans off-guard is her looks in the film. Unlike in her epic Magadheera seven years ago, Kajal doesn’t have that charm today while essaying Arshi, the royal princess in Sardaar. Critics lamented that

Blame it on her lean, slender figure, in many portions her age was conspicuous. Though the romantic scenes between Pawan and Kajal were refreshing, her elderly look took away that. Had the makers zeroed in on a happening Bollywood heroine like Deepika Padukone for the role, the film would had have better prospects in Hindi and Telugu as well. Albeit, it’s too early to judge at the moment.

Now fans are going through anxious moments whether Pawan would pull it off or not. Let’s wait and see.

Finally, the long wait of Nandamuri fans has come to a glittering end on Telugu new year. This morning, Balakrishna’s  much in news 100th film was launched in Amaravati. Balayya first offered his floral tributes to Gautamiputra Satakarni’s statue, before gracing his film’s inaugural event.

Balayya said Gautamiputra Satakarni is a God’s gift to him and that his father late NT Ramarao, whom he considers his god, has compelled the god to send Krish to him with the story of Gautamiputra Satakarni. Balayya also said that the 100th is a fruit of goods hardwork that spanned across 99 films for the last 4 decades.

Gautamiputra Satakarni will be directed by Krish and Krish’s friend and longtime collaborator Rajeev Reddy will produce it with a staggering budget of nearly 50 crores. The film’s shooting will kickstart from April last week and released by next Sankranthi.

This summer’s breezy entertainer Oopiri showcased the bromance between Nagarjuna and Karthi in a touching way. Especially, Karthi’s role was hilarious with a mixture of arrogance and innocence. One particular sequence in which Karthi’s painting was sold by Nag to Prakash Raj for 2 lakhs was rib tickling.

Now, numero uno TV host cum anchor Suma pulled off a minor gig when she took inspiration from Karthi’s painting and drew her own painting.

Not stopping here, Suma took to her Facebook profile and requested the Oopiri team to ask Nagarjuna to buy the painting so she can afford a water tanker. Suma even personally requested Nag in a Ugadi special TV interview with Oopiri team and needless to say, Nag was in splits seeing Suma’s painting.

Suma’s sense of humour is nothing new to her fans, but the way she satirically highlighted the water woes of Hyderabadis in this scorching hot summer with her Facebook post is drawing applause.

Former Indian Cricket Team Captain Md Azharuddin’s son Abbas aka Asaduddin is making his debut as hero with a Telugu film Iddariki Kothega. Kannada producer K Suresh Babu who produced few different films like Naku O Loverundi, Dakshina Madhya Bharat Jattu etc is turning director with the flick.

Iddariki Kothega is said to be a youthful entertainer where Abbas is going to romance three heroines. Currently, selection process of cast and crew members for the film is underway. The film’s launching ceremony will happen soon.

It’s going to be a grand gala with Azharuddin attending the event along with several biggies from Tollywood and Bollywood attending it. More details about the project will be unveiled on the day. Like his father Azhar, Abbas also wanted to peruse cricket as career.

The left-hand opener had played for East Marredpally CC in the Hyderabad’s A division league long ago. He was selected for the trials camp of Kolkata Knight Riders in 2008, but didn’t get a chance to prove his cricketing skills.

Abbas then worked as assistant director for his dad Azharuddin’s biopic film Azhar starring Emraan Hashmi. Finally, the youngster has decided to try his luck as an actor. What’s more, he chose to make his debut with a Telugu film.

While Pawan starrer opened to a thunderous response in India and abroad, Sardaar Gabbar Singh has failed to beat Mahesh Babu’s last year’s disaster.

Baahubali stands on top with a $1.47 Million opening and the second place is held by Srimanthudu with $567K. There is a huge gap between the first two places and the trade was expected Sardaar to beat Srimanthudu’s premiere record to take the second place.

“SardaarGabbarSingh takes a good opening in USA $450k. Few big centers such as Serra yet to report. Premier closing might be around 500k.”

Here is the list of top 5 grossing films (Premieres) in US:

Baahubali – $1470K
Srimanthudu – $565K
Aagadu – $550K
Sardar Gabbar Singh – $500K
Naanaku Prematho – $355K

Abundant with moral lessons, Rudyard Kipling’s tales of young Mowgli’s adventures with anthropomorphic animals in the Indian jungle have always fascinated kids and have revived childhood memories for adults.

Whatever the reasons, the audience has always waited with baited breath for a Jungle Book release. And, the much awaited Disney production with its live action-animation, is a brilliantly mounted film that enthralls you for most of its runtime.

Visually, the film is breathtakingly stunning. Director Jon Favreau makes his film palpable with its wonderfully detailed characters in the dense jungle which anyone would swear is real.

A tale of self-discovery, narrated from Bagheera (Ben Kingsley), the panther’s point of view, you witness Mowgli (Neel Sethi) in the thick of the jungle. His experiences are captivating and enthralling. The story remains the same: of how, an orphaned human boy, raised by wolves, Raksha (Lupita Nyong’o) and Akela (Giancarlo Esposito) along with their packs, live in harmony with the other animals of the jungle.

Till one fine day, Shere Khan, the scarred tiger drives Mowgli away from the jungle to join his own species. How Mowgli survives in the wilderness, forms the crux of the narration.

Justin Marks’s script does not veer too far from its source material. The plot has limited dramatic tension. Nevertheless, it holds your attention till the very end.

The screenplay is well-designed in the typical Disney fashion with each character being given its due screen time. While every animal is engaging, it is Mowgli’s interaction with the hedonistic Baloo that brings life into the otherwise dry narration. It is interesting to watch him con Mowgli into getting him his winter supply of honey. There is not one boring scene, despite the fact that the tension is mild and frisky throughout the film.

Neel Sethi as Mowgli is endearing. His challenging performance is par excellence. He portrays Mowgli’s moods to perfection. And, he is aptly supported over voice, by the ace star cast, where every character’s voice is lent precisely.

Ben Kingsley is charming as Bagheera, Scarlett Johansson is mesmerising as the scheming python Kaa, Idris Elba is intimidating as Shere Khan, Christopher Walken as the grotesque king of the monkeys is dynamic and Bill Murray with his bubbly tone as the genial rascal Baloo is charming.

While the sound which includes most of the animal voices and cries, is immersive and all pervasive, the computer-generated images are impressive but the 3D effects do not stimulate you.

The film editing is astonishing, the rhythm of the pace is racy and swift, making the film a highly entertaining one.

The songs, “The bare necessities” and “I wanna be like you”, which have made Jungle Book memorable over the years have not been well-integrated into the narration. But it is the new cheeky number, filmed in Downtown Los Angeles during the end credits which will definitely perk you up as you leave the theatre.