Stakes go up for Vijay Deverakonda like never before

'Liger' is considered the most important film in Vijay Deverakonda's career. The film's success would have made him a pan-India star. Even filmmakers from other industries would have vied for his dates. His remuneration would have hit the Rs 40-Cr mark, if not more. Thanks to Puri Jagannadh, the film turned out to be a dud. In this context, 'Kushi' has become a high-stakes project for the talented Vijay. The consequences of its success will mean that his career once again starts looking bright. His career will start exuding the vibrancy of the 'Geetha Govindam' days. But the consequences of its failure will be catastrophic. Going by the trailer, 'Kushi' appears to have a fairly good story. Some resemblances to Mani Ratnam's 'Sakhi' are overblown. The mood and sensibilities of 'Kushi' appear to be different from 'Sakhi'. So, the audience won't do comparisons. Vijay and Samantha Ruth Prabhu look poised to attract youths on the first weekend and the family audience later on if the 'word of mouth' is positive. Mythri Movie Makers has also had a great run. And director Shiva Nirvana knows his brief. On September 1, let's hope 'Kushi' will help Vijay finally get a fillip. After all, he hasn't had a hit in five years. His last hit, 'Taxiwala', was released in 2018. 'Dear Comrade', 'World Famous Lover' and 'Liger' were flops. The stakes are super-high and unprecedented.