With films like Baahubali and Kalki 2898 AD, Prabhas has cemented his place as one of the most exciting actors of our time. His stardom is not only limited to India but spans across the globe, especially in North America (USA and Canada), which has become the biggest market for Telugu films outside of India. He has two films in the Top 10 highest-grossing films in North America, sitting at Number 1 (Baahubali 2: The Conclusion – US $20.7 million) and Number 2 (Kalki 2898 AD – US $18.57 million).
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Now, it seems Allu Arjun has stepped in to challenge Prabhas for his position in the North American market. Allu Arjun is set to return to the big screen as Pushpa Raj in Pushpa: The Rule. The film is slated for release on December 6, after missing the earlier August 15 release date.
The film has already been sold in the North India circuit to Anil Thadani for almost Rs 200 crore. When it comes to North America, the film has been bought for almost US $15 million (Rs 125 crore), making it one of the biggest amounts ever paid for an Indian film in that market.
In a market that has so far seen a maximum business of US $20 million, paying US $15 million to acquire a film is a significant risk. However, the makers are very confident in their product and have agreed to refund the difference if the film fails to reach a particular benchmark.
Besides Allu Arjun, the film stars Rashmika Mandanna, Fahadh FaasilSai Pallavi, and Prakash Raj in pivotal roles.