Pawan Kalyan Had Reason to Be Upset: Allu Aravind

Leading film producer and distributor Allu Aravind has acknowledged that Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan was understandably upset over recent developments in the Telugu film industry.

“Pawan had a valid reason to express his anguish. His film Hari Hara Veera Mallu is scheduled for release in June, and the announcement of a theatre shutdown probably didn’t sit well with him. It was a daring flip-flop,” Aravind said.

Clarifying his own position, he added, “I own just 15 out of the 1,500 theatres across the Telugu states. I don’t consider myself part of any so-called theatre lobby in the industry.”

Aravind revealed that he skipped a recent Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce meeting, which took place two days ago. “They were discussing a theatre bandh, and I didn’t like the word ‘shutdown’, so I stayed away. I usually visit the chamber only to discuss specific issues and then leave,” he explained.

He also recounted a recent interaction with Pawan Kalyan after the actor assumed office as Deputy Chief Minister. “I visited him with Aswini Dutt and a few others to request a ticket price hike for the film Kalki 2898 AD. During the meeting, Pawan asked whether we had met Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu. I believe he was hinting at the need for protocol and courtesy, but unfortunately, the chamber didn’t take it seriously.”

Aravind emphasized that it was important for the film industry’s apex bodies to engage with the state government. “Meeting the CM only during a crisis is not enough. We should maintain open channels of communication as a matter of routine. Everyone assumed that the CM and Deputy CM were already familiar with the industry, but this lack of formal engagement didn’t go down well with the AP government,” he said.

He also stressed the necessity of government support for the smooth functioning of the film industry. “Without the backing of the state government, the industry cannot operate easily. That’s why we approached CM Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy two years ago with our concerns. This applies not only to films but to any business,” he pointed out.

Addressing the current crisis among exhibitors, Aravind sympathized with the plight of single-screen theatre owners. “I understand that standalone theatres are facing tough times and are struggling to survive. But instead of threatening a shutdown, they should have presented a concrete plan for revival. That would have been a more constructive approach,” he concluded.