The actor took to X two days after release to thank fans for the trolls and the love, while admitting critics had a point about the film's flaws.
Nani has broken his silence on how The Paradise landed with audiences and critics, and he's not pretending it was a clean sweep.
Two days after the film opened on September 24, the actor posted on X addressing both the love and the mockery that followed. "I have seen all your reactions and responses. I've received all your love and equally enjoyed your hilarious trolls," he wrote, adding that he was "heartwarmed" by how audiences had claimed the film as their own even as he took note of what reviewers flagged as shortcomings.
He didn't stop at gratitude. "I've learnt from the flaws that critics and reviewers have pointed out," Nani said, before thanking the audience for the excitement around the release. "We have made #TheParadise with a lot of blood and sweat to give you a unique experience, and it's all yours to celebrate or judge," he added, according to Bollywood Hungama.
A film split down the middle
The Paradise, directed by Srikanth Odela in his second outing with Nani after Dasara, is a period action drama built around a scale-heavy, violence-driven narrative. It stars Nani opposite Kayadu Lohar and Raghav Juyal, and reportedly brings back some of the Dasara team, with Keerthy Suresh sharing behind-the-scenes moments from the shoot and calling it a reunion with her "Dasara family."
The reception since release has been anything but settled. Reviews have pushed back on the writing and screenplay, with several pointing to a second half that loses its grip on the story. There's also been debate over whether the film's emotional beats can carry the weight of its action set pieces, and whether the violence on screen serves the story or just the spectacle.
Audiences, going by BookMyShow listings, haven't been uniformly harsh. Ratings vary widely across shows, and engagement numbers suggest people are showing up and arguing about it afterwards, which is its own kind of validation for a film built to provoke a reaction.
What Nani's post does is unusual for a lead actor mid-release. He's not defending the film point by point, and he's not dismissing the trolls either. He's just owning the split verdict, love on one side, criticism on the other, and putting both on record before the conversation moves on.
The Paradise gave Nani his biggest opening yet, so the commercial appetite clearly exists. What happens over the next couple of weekends, as word of mouth on the writing and pacing spreads further, will decide whether that opening translates into a real run at the box office.
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