Ticket Hikes vs Small Films: Dheeraj Raises Concerns

Dheeraj Questions Ticket Hikes for Films

Big films may bring bigger collections, but their ticket price hikes could make life harder for small films. Producer Dheeraj Mogilineni has now raised this concern, explaining how the gap in ticket prices can affect a film’s chances of getting screens.

Dheeraj pointed out that if a big film sells tickets at Rs 300, theatres could receive around Rs 150 with a 50% share. But when a small film sells tickets at Rs 100, the theatre’s share would be only Rs 50 under the same calculation.

This difference can make theatres lean towards big-budget films, especially when both big and small films compete for screens on the same dates. For smaller producers, already working with limited budgets, getting enough theatres becomes another challenge.

Dheeraj believes government approval for ticket price hikes should be considered for exceptionally big-budget films, such as those made on a scale comparable to Rajamouli’s films, rather than being extended to every big release.

His comments raise an important question for Telugu cinema. When big films have the advantage of higher ticket prices and stronger market reach, how can small and mid-budget films compete for theatres and audiences?

For producers like Dheeraj, the issue goes beyond ticket prices. It is also about giving smaller films a fair chance to reach the big screen.