We Are Seeking a Permanent GO on Ticket Hikes, Says Dil Raju
The new rule in Telangana has become a major challenge for upcoming releases.
Leading producer and distributor Dil Raju has said that prominent members of the Telugu film industry are planning to meet Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy soon after his return from Davos to seek a permanent Government Order (GO) on movie ticket hikes in the state.
“We are going to request the Chief Minister for a permanent GO on ticket hikes in Telangana,” Dil Raju said. “Our appeal is for a fixed, revised ticket rate for both big and small films on a long-term basis, instead of producers having to approach officials before the release of every film and rushing through approvals.”
Earlier, the Telangana High Court issued clear directions stating that applications for ticket hikes and other special permissions for Telugu films must be submitted at least 90 days prior to release. According to industry sources, this has added to the concerns of filmmakers, as there is no such restriction in Andhra Pradesh, where the government routinely grants permissions for all films.
The new rule in Telangana has become a major challenge for upcoming releases. In many cases, film release dates are finalised barely a month in advance, and schedules often change due to last-minute delays or to avoid box-office clashes. As a result, complying with the 90-day rule has become difficult for producers.
Starting with the much-hyped Peddi, several star-driven Telugu films are expected to be impacted by the latest order. Projects such as Chiranjeevi’s Vishwambara, Pawan Kalyan’s Ustaad Bhagat Singh, Nani’s The Paradise, Naga Chaitanya’s Vrushakarma, Adivi Sesh’s Dacoit, Nikhil’s Swayambhu, Sharwanand’s Biker, Ravi Teja’s next film, and Bellamkonda Sreenivas’ Tyson Naidu could all face hurdles in securing ticket hike permissions.
“It will definitely hurt big-ticket films releasing between March and May,” Dil Raju said, adding that an industry delegation is expected to hold discussions with the Chief Minister by the end of the month. “We are hopeful of a favourable decision,” he concluded.
