With Gowtam Tinnanuri’s Kingdom, starring Vijay Deverakonda and Bhagyashri Borse, ending on a cliffhanger, a wave of discontent has swept across social media. Viewers are voicing frustration over Tollywood’s increasing obsession with sequels.On X (formerly Twitter), several users criticized the film’s open-ended climax. Posts like, “Another ‘world’, ‘saviour’, ‘wait for part 2’ template,” and “2 parts waste deeniki… oka part lo teesi unte blockbuster stuff” (This didn’t need two parts; it could’ve been a blockbuster in one) have been gaining traction.One viewer lamented that Kingdom failed to deliver a complete story even by the end of its second half. “Kingdom-2 is where the real story actually begins. Honestly, they should’ve wrapped it all up in one film,” read a post.Another questioned the creative intent behind the split: “Why are Telugu filmmakers so obsessed with Part 2s? There’s enough material to make a great standalone film, but instead they give us a strong first half, a weak second half, and end it with a forced cliffhanger.”The storytelling itself has come under scrutiny. One user pointed out, “#Kingdom is a misfire — either in writing or final edit. The whole two-part idea has diluted the storytelling. It doesn’t work as a standalone. Yes, the climax aims for the impact of Salaar or Kalki, but it doesn’t land the same way.”Some expressed disappointment at the missed opportunity to conclude the film neatly. “Stop force-fitting every story into two or three parts. It felt unnecessary in Devara, and now again in Kingdom,” said another user, referencing Koratala Siva’s Devara starring Jr NTR and Saif Ali Khan.The sentiment was echoed widely, with many urging filmmakers to prioritize cohesive storytelling over franchise-building. “Please stop making weak second halves just to set up a sequel. This started like a blockbuster and ended up average. Don’t ruin a good film for the sake of a Part 2,” one viewer wrote.The backlash extended to producers as well. “Tollywood should stop this Part-1, Part-2 nonsense. Movies with real potential are being wasted. If producers want to make money, let them invest in quality — not in the name of sequels,” ranted a frustrated fan.With Kingdom 2 already in the pipeline, the debate over whether cinematic universes and multi-part storytelling enhance or dilute the film experience continues to divide audiences.
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