Dhurandhar Imparts Lessons to Tollywood
He also appealed to the governments of both Telugu states to avoid frequent ticket price hikes.
The blockbuster success of the Dhurandhar franchise has clearly offered valuable lessons to Tollywood filmmakers, especially in terms of budget control, remuneration, and ticket pricing.
Producer Lagadapati Sridhar believes that the issue of high ticket prices in the Telugu states needs immediate attention. “Ticket pricing has to be moderated. Many can learn from Dhurandhar, which is minting gold like Rs 1000 gross in one week, despite lower ticket rates,” he says.
He further highlights the uniqueness of Telugu audiences. “Telugu viewers are among the most passionate movie lovers. They watch stars like Ranveer Singh, Rajinikanth, Yash, and Dulquer Salmaan with the same enthusiasm as they do Telugu superstars. You won’t find such an audience anywhere else,” he adds.
Sridhar urges Telugu producers not to burden local audiences with inflated pricing. Instead, he suggests adopting a pan-India recovery model. “If a film is made on a ₹500 crore budget, producers should aim to recover investments through a nationwide and global release, rather than depending solely on Telugu states,” he explains.
Sharing ground realities, he reveals that exhibitors across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are increasingly worried. “After decent collections during the Sankranthi festival, theatre revenues have been declining sharply. Many exhibitors say they may shut operations in smaller centres from weekdays due to poor footfalls,” he notes.
He also appealed to the governments of both Telugu states to avoid frequent ticket price hikes. “Cinema is an art form and a major employment generator. It needs support to survive and to give opportunities to emerging talent,” he concludes.
Earlier, Naveen Yerneni addressed the economics behind big-budget films while speaking about the Ustaad Bhagat Singh ticket hike. He clarified that ticket hikes are usually requested only for large-scale productions. “Only five or six big films opt for ticket hikes to recover massive investments. Smaller films don’t need such increases,” he said, citing examples like Peddi and Varanasi. and his upcoming film Dragon with NTR and Prashanth Neel. “We spent nearly ₹1.5 crore per day during the Jordan schedule. The visuals we captured are extraordinary and we have to spend more for a spectacle.”