Irumudi is enjoying a strong run, with the Ravi Teja starrer collecting nearly Rs 50 crore in India net in its first three days. The film is performing particularly well in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. But its real theatre test begins now.
Yash’s Toxic arrives on August 26, and Dil Raju’s Sri Venkateswara Creations, which acquired its AP and Telangana rights for a reported Rs 120 crore, is planning a grand release. Naturally, Toxic will need a huge number of screens.
But should a non-Telugu film automatically get a massive theatre advantage over a Telugu film that is already working?
There is a business reason for giving Toxic a big release. A distributor investing Rs 120 crore will want to maximise the opening. Star power, investment and advance bookings all matter. That is understandable.
But if Irumudi continues to record strong occupancy, why should a major share of its screens be reduced simply because a bigger new film has arrived? A packed show of an existing film can be better business for an exhibitor than an under-occupied show of a new release.
This raises a bigger question. Telugu films often have to fight for screens when they enter other states. So why should the equation be different when non-Telugu films enter the Telugu market?
Toxic deserves a big opening. But Irumudi also deserves space if audiences continue to support it. The real issue is whether distribution power should decide the screen allocation, or whether audience demand should have an equal say.
