Telugu Movie F3 Trailer releases to 10 million views on Day 1 raising expectations for this first of its kind sequel movie from the F2 Franchise.
Anil Ravipudi’s films F2 and F3 fall under the franchise format introduced for the first time to Telugu audience. The closest to the format in Bollywood is perhaps the Golmaal series, where comedy is slapstick and punch-line driven, almost nonsensical. That this kind of comedy works with audience was proven by the first film in the series. Anil Ravipudi made ‘F2 – Fun and Frustration’ as Sankranthi release in 2019. It was a phenomenal success and the high continued into the next few weeks, until the film became a cult of a kind.
F2 Franchise – The Idea
The director recalls a memory of watching the film in a theatre at Tirupati. Looking at the response, he realized how engaged the audience belonging to all age groups were. It was the moment he decided to do a sequel. While F2 was more about couple relationships, F3 is about money and the obsession to become rich, a subject line that has the bandwidth to create many funny moments. And as director mentions – with the success and craze for the first film behind them, the actors – same team plus a bunch of other seniors including Rajendra Prasad, Ali, Sunil etc adding to the madness – worked with renewed energy and confidence. Ali’s role is going to be something to look forward, especially in the first half reveals Anil.
During the F3 trailer launch heroes Venkatesh and Varun Tej said they fell in line trusting Anil Ravipudi, and so did the rest of the cast that include Tamannaah and Mehreen. There is Sonal Chouhan providing for the twist in the tale. Producers Dil Raju and Shirish evidently want to repeat the success story.
EVV Mark Comedy
This is not for the first-time films of this genre have become a hit in Telugu. EVV Satyanarayana’s films like ‘Evarigola Varide’ are examples of how such films may not meet critics’ approval, but general theatre going audience enjoys them immensely. Popularity for shows like ‘Jabardast’ on TV, and the most recent example of Naveen Polishetty’s nonsensical comedy caper ‘Jaati Ratnalu’, not to mention DJ Tillu stand for what the audience expects from such films. Mindless entertainment, paisa vasool kind of fun drama are what these films are supposed to deliver upon. Anil Ravipudi promises just that. The 10 million views on the first day of the F3 trailer release speak for themselves.
Mehreen, Tamannaah and Sonal at Trailer Celebrations
Anil Ravipudi with Venky and Varun Tej
Five Reasons Why F3 Has All it Takes for a Hit?
- The cast is bigger – around 40 of them – with seasoned actors of comedy films like Rajendra Prasad, Ali, Sunil throwing their might behind the film. Such actor-heavy cast in the right hands meant success in theatres for a Telugu cinema on many previous occasions.
- There are the witty one-liners, and creating comedy out of age-proven situations – one hero with a stammer that he tries to overcome in a typical style, and the other with night blindness, which he tries to hide from the world. They are jarring perhaps, but have always worked. In addition, the ample references to F2 add the nostalgia factor to what is proving to be a huge fan base.
- The film comes with the strength of two hero fan bases carrying F3 on their shoulder. Though one might think twice before counting too much on this – based on some recent fiascos – it continues to be a compelling factor.
- If the F3 trailer is to go by, then the film will come peppered with several scenes that will cater perfectly to the Reels-Driven generation fed on the diet of memes and gags, never mind the plot.
- The first film in the series had the timing going right for it as well. The Sankranthi release did not have any big films to compete with. This year ‘F3’ missed the big festival, but is perhaps trying to make up for it labelling it as summer special, and releasing it on May 27. The examination time is officially over, and the families do look towards films for entertainment. And, if it comes with some comedy minus the violence, why not.
At a time when the audience wants comedy even in horror films – F3 and the franchise might just be what they are looking for – that is if Anil Ravipudi will deliver on ‘F2’ – Fun and More Fun. If there is indeed a convincing plot thrown in – as promised – it will be the cherry on the cake.
