Vishal’s long-awaited film Madha Gaja Raja, which has been in the making for over 12 years, finally released during the Pongal 2025 festival. Directed by Sundar C, the movie had a grand release and grossed over Rs. 50 crores at the Tamil Nadu Box Office. However, the movie’s success in Tamil has not translated well into its Telugu release. Despite being dubbed and released in Telugu on the same day, Madha Gaja Raja is facing disappointing occupancy numbers, with poor turnout in major regions like Uttarandhra, traditionally known for strong moviegoers.
The movie’s poor performance in Telugu markets is linked to several factors. First, Vishal’s popularity in Telugu-speaking regions has been on the decline, and his latest film has failed to garner substantial buzz. Madha Gaja Raja has also received mixed to poor reviews from Telugu media, dampening the audience’s interest. Despite the film’s promising star cast, which includes Anjali and Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, the lack of strong promotions in the Telugu market has been a significant reason for the underwhelming response.
Even as Madha Gaja Raja struggles, the Telugu moviegoers have chosen other releases like Venkatesh’s Sankranthi Vasthunam, which continues to be the top pick in theatres. With Madha Gaja Raja failing to make a mark in both its Telugu and Tamil releases, the film’s future looks uncertain, and its OTT updates are eagerly awaited as the next step for this fun entertainer.