Varun Tej’s latest film Korean Kanakaraju (KOKA) has opened to encouraging responses from audiences. Following the paid premieres, the film witnessed a positive buzz, with ticket sales reportedly picking up rapidly on the opening day. The movie has already crossed the one-lakh ticket mark and continues to trend on BookMyShow.
At the post-release press meet, director Merlapaka Gandhi expressed his happiness over the response to the film. He described KOKA’s success as a much-needed comeback and thanked Varun Tej for standing by the project from the beginning.
According to Gandhi, Varun Tej supported the film at every stage and delivered a performance that perfectly suited the story. He particularly praised the actor for convincingly portraying both the Rayalaseema-based Kanakaraju and the Korean character.
Gandhi also appreciated the performances of Satya and Ritika, while highlighting the comic chemistry between Varun Tej and Satya as one of the film’s major strengths.
Varun Tej on KOKA Response
Varun Tej thanked audiences for embracing KOKA beyond the team’s expectations. He said the response from the premiere shows was highly encouraging and that the team had always believed in the film.
The actor also revealed that Satya’s character has received particularly strong appreciation from viewers. With the positive word of mouth continuing, Varun Tej expressed confidence that the film’s collections could improve further over the coming days.
Varun Tej Responds to Sr NTR Imitation Debate
One of the key talking points surrounding KOKA has been the imitation sequences involving legendary actors. Addressing the discussion, Varun Tej explained that the scenes were created purely for entertainment and were never intended to disrespect anyone.
He pointed out that imitating popular stars has been a common element in films and clarified that there is a significant difference between imitation and trolling.
Varun Tej also recalled his previous film F3, in which a sequence inspired by Pawan Kalyan’s Vakeel Saab was recreated purely for fun. He added that several other legendary actors, including Krishna and Chiranjeevi, have also been imitated in a light-hearted manner.
The actor stressed that the KOKA sequences were made out of admiration and affection, rather than with any intention of mocking or insulting the stars.
KOKA Team Celebrates Success
First Frame Entertainment producer Rajeev Reddy also expressed his happiness over the film’s success, especially after a long gap.
Sirish said he was delighted to have been associated with Varun Tej’s successful films and shared his happiness over the positive response to KOKA.
With the film receiving encouraging feedback from audiences, the KOKA team is now hoping for stronger collections over the upcoming days.
