Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy seems unsure about how to handle issues related to the film industry. His responses to the industry’s requests for ticket price hikes appear inconsistent and unpredictable.
After the Sandhya Theatre stampede and Allu Arjun’s arrest, the Chief Minister declared that Telangana would not allow special shows or ticket hikes. Soon after, when OG released, the Telangana High Court suspended the government memo that permitted the price hike, forcing the government to withdraw its order.
This judgement could now serve as a precedent for similar future cases.
However, in a sudden turn, Revanth Reddy recently announced that he would permit ticket hikes only if 20% of the profit goes to cine workers. This statement left the industry puzzled. How can the government monitor or enforce such a condition in a private business?
Filmmaking is an independent enterprise, and workers are already paid for their work. The government can regulate prices, but setting a percentage of profit distribution is impractical and outside policy norms.
Industry insiders believe the announcement was politically motivated, especially since cine workers recently felicitated the Chief Minister after halting shootings for a day. The film community is concentrated in the Jubilee Hills constituency, which could explain the CM’s enthusiasm.
Even Dil Raju, Chairman of the Telangana Film Development Corporation, who stood beside the CM during the announcement, knows such a proposal isn’t feasible.
Revanth Reddy’s shifting approach to film policy reflects inconsistency that doesn’t suit the office he holds. A more measured and policy-driven stance would benefit both the government and the industry.
