Stay strong 'Yuvarathnaa', says Sudeep as Karnataka caps theatre occupancy at 50 per cent

The decision has been taken due to the recent increase in Covid-19 cases in Karnataka

The Karnataka government on Friday (April 2) announced that movie theatres in eight districts would operate at 50 per cent capacity due to the recent increase in Covid-19 cases in the state. The decision is expected to take a toll on the box office collection of actor Puneeth Rajkumar's latest movie Yuvarathnaa, which hit the screens on Thursday (April 1).

Kannada star Sudeep has taken to Twitter to comment on the situation. He said that the decision was a 'shocker' for the Yuvarathnaa team and wished them good luck for the future. He, however, made it clear that one needs to follow the rules to ensure the safety of others during the pandemic.

Yuvarathnaa is the third major Kannada movie to hit the screens under the 'new normal'. It opened to a good response at the box office, collecting around Rs 10 crore on the first day. In doing so, it outperformed Pogaru (Rs 8.71 crore) but failed to beat Darshan's Roberrt (Rs 17.24 crore). The film remained strong on Friday. It would have picked up today (April 3) but that will not be the case due to the new restrictions.

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Yuvarathnaa has been directed by Santosh Ananddram, who wielded the microphone for Appu's 2017 blockbuster Raajakumara. It revolves around what happens when a young man decides to challenge corrupt politicians. It has received positive reviews due to its gripping plot and massy execution. The film stars Sayyeshaa as the leading lady and marks her Kannada debut.

With Yuvarathnaa in theatres, Puneeth is expected to turn his attention to James, which reunites him with Raajakumara actor Priya Anand.

Sudeep, meanwhile, is awaiting the release of Kotigobba 3. The actioner is the third installment of the Kotigobba franchise and features the mass hero in a new avatar. The cast includes Madonna Sebastian, Shraddha Das, P Ravi Shankar and Bollywood actor Aftab Shivdasani. He also has the Anup Bhandari-directed fantasy drama Vikrant Rona in her kitty