BEHINDWOODS COLUMN

• Suriya leads the list of strengths. He is said to have played a never-before-done role and Massu is touted to be one of his best. The star has exceeded his limits for the dances, the dialogues and during the dubbing too. Nothing more needs to be said about his dedication levels and caliber.
• Venkat Prabhu (VP) is a brand by himself with his own loyal fan following. His fans will dig into whatever he dishes out.
• ‘Lady Superstar’ Nayanthara's craze and following will also push Massu's reach beyond boundaries.
• Then we have the solid technical crew who will back VP to death - editor Praveen KL, composer Yuvan and stunt master Silva. Each of these men is a leading light in his field of play, and with DoP R.D.Rajasekhar also joining the crew, the technical finesse of Massu doesn't leave any scope for doubts.
• The budget of the film is big and the team has splurged on the VFX and CG to give a good big screen experience to the viewers.
• The U certificate, the controlled runtime (2 hrs 22 mins), the family friendly nature of the film and the kids' appeal are more plus points for this Gnanavel Raja production. The ideal summer recipe indeed.
• The release window is favorable and the screen count is big for both the Tamil and Telugu versions. Massu is set to sweep far and wide with favorable terms and MGs (minimum guarantee) from theaters in the hope of striking gold.
• The teaser did the trick big time, and till now there is a good suspense about the film's genre. The film hasn't been exposed much through trailers, and this is a favorable aspect for those watching Massu with anticipation this weekend.

• Though the Masss theme and Therikkudhu Mass have become instant hits, a section of the crowd feels that the songs aren't in the level of previous Venkat Prabhu - Yuvan collaborations. But there is a very positive talk about Yuvan's BGM score for the film and we also have to see if the songs would work better with the visuals.
• There is this mixed feeling about the other Venkat Prabhu regular too - Premgi. But as always, a VP film opens out the playing field for his younger brother to score some laughs and cheeky lines.

• Pranitha would be looking to claim a good place for herself in Tamil cinema with Massu, after the underwhelming Saguni and Udhayan.
• With a simultaneous release in both Tamil and Telugu and a big worldwide screen count, some box office records are at stake for sure. The 100 crores worldwide gross mark would be a minimum expectation and Massu seems to be having the required ammunition to gun for some records. And with Suriya's massive market in all the Tamil cinema markets, the foundation is strong. His trips to Hyderabad and Kerala have also given more impetus for sure.
• The likes of Parthiban and Samuthirakani also stand to gain a lot as actors, from Massu's reach and exposure.
• Venkat himself would be eyeing a big blockbuster with Massu, after the below-par Biriyani which didn't manage to rake in the moolah like his Mankatha, Saroja or Chennai 28 did.
• Suriya too would be eager for a big win after Anjaan's debacle. And Nayanthara's past few Tamil films have been low-key at the box-office and Massu offers a chance for the queen to rule once again.

• The weight of expectations was the biggest downer for Suriya's previous release Anjaan. The only major threats in sight for Massu are its own expectations. Hope the film lives up to the hype and turns out to be a bonanza for the trade and all stakeholders.
• The culture of going to theaters to see new releases seems to be back in good health. But piracy will continue to plague any new release as long as a section of the public remain couch potatoes and resort to cheap, readily available pirated prints of new films

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