Kochi: It’s so bad that it’s good. How else would you explain the cheering, abusive crowd that throng the theatres screening Santhosh Pandit’s ‘Krishnanum Radhayum.’

Whatever factors you attribute this bewildering phenomenon to, Pandit surely has more than one reason to smile.

Describing self-styled actor Santhosh Pandit as the present day superstar of Mollywood, national award winner Salim Kumar said at a press conference in Dubai that he too has become a Pandit fan.

The actor was all praise for Pandit whose film is running to packed houses, competing with big budget films from other languages. “This is indeed a big achievement considering the fact that these days even superstar flicks are getting continuosly bombed at boxoffice,” he added.

The film owes much of its popularity to negative viral publicity that it garnered through YouTube. Netizens are turning up in large numbers to watch the film though they too despise Pandit’s cocky demeanor and self-imposed superstardom.

When asked what prompted him to choose ‘Krishnanum Radhayum’ over ‘Velayudham’ or even ‘Ra.One’, Gautham N., a final year engineering student said, “I did not go to the theatre for the sake of watching the film. I knew it was rubbish. We just kept on howling throughout and had fun.”

Santhosh Pandit’s story is considered as one without precedence in the history of Mollywood. With meticulous precision, M-town had always written off films which lacked engaging storylines. The sail has not been smooth even for the biggies, whenever their films failed to impress. But this time, it seems to be different.

“I went to watch his film out of curiosity. I just wanted to know what was happening inside the theatre.” says Sanjay, a tenth standard student. Ask him how was the experience and he chuckles. “People were just screaming aloud and hurling abuses whenever Pandit appeared onscreen. Truly speaking, I couldn’t hear a single word that was said in the film. Out there, it was absolute pandemonium.”
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