# Kaaka poster draws flak, but glimpse builds Sankranthi hype 2026-08-24T06:12:13+00:00 | Entertainment | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Chiranjeevi's 158th film, directed by Bobby Kolli, has been titled Kaaka. The makers released a three-minute glimpse video on the actor's birthday, building curiosity about the mass-world setting and his character. They announced a January 13, 2027 theatrical release worldwide, targeting the Sankranthi festival. The poster released alongside the video, however, drew widespread criticism. Fans, including hardcore supporters, felt Chiranjeevi's look lacked heroic appeal and resembled a character artist like Murali Sharma. The video glimpse created hype, the poster, many fans say, nearly killed it. Kaaka now faces a family clash at the box office. Chiranjeevi's nephew Sai Durgha Tej has already announced his film Sambarala Yeti Gattu for January 12, 2027, a day before. Venkatesh, Kalyan Ram, and Sharwanand are also reportedly targeting the same Sankranthi window. ## Indian Opinion Analysis Sankranthi is Telugu cinema's most lucrative box-office window, where families fill theatres and a single film can collect over Rs 200 crore in its run. Clashes between two star-driven films on consecutive days typically split screens and dilute opening-day revenue. Megastar Chiranjeevi has not had a solo theatrical hit since Sye Raa (2019), while nephew Sai Durgha Tej is yet to deliver a breakout. The poster backlash matters because first-day advance bookings in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are driven by hero-look appeal, not just story curiosity. Bobby Kolli's last film, Akhanda (2021), earned Rs 175 crore but relied on Balakrishna's mass image. Watch whether Kaaka's next poster or promo releases before Diwali 2026, and whether the makers announce a separate theatrical trailer closer to the release date. ## Coverage - m9.news Led with negative fan reaction to poster, framed as hype killer This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Tags: Bobby Kolli, Chiranjeevi, Kaaka, Sai Durgha Tej, Sambarala Yeti Gattu, Sankranthi Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/kaaka-poster-draws-flak-but-glimpse-builds-sankranthi-hype/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/kaaka-poster-draws-flak-but-glimpse-builds-sankranthi-hype/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes. How this brief was made: an AI model read the report linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/