At present, whenever a big movie is about to release in Tollywood, discussions about ticket prices dominate the conversation even before box office collections. As the release date approaches, audiences often have to wait because ticket bookings do not open on time. This delay has now become a regular and frustrating pattern. Filmmakers remain under pressure until the last moment to secure permissions, and this situation has turned into a serious problem for the entire industry.
Whenever a high-budget film is announced, fans feel immense excitement and anticipation. However, instead of celebrating the release, producers have to run from courts to government offices to get approvals for higher ticket prices and early morning shows. Because of these legal and administrative hurdles, uncertainty continues until the final moment about whether shows will even happen. This tension affects fans, distributors, and exhibitors alike. It also directly impacts a film’s opening-day performance, which is crucial for big-budget movies.
The same thing is right now happening for the two big Sankranti releases, Prabhas’ Raja Saab and Chiranjeevi’s Mana Shankara Varaprasad Garu. The producers are running behind courts and misters to get approvals for ticket hikes and special premieres.
This issue has repeated for many years without a lasting solution. Rather than seeking permissions separately for every film, the industry now needs a permanent policy. Film production costs have increased significantly in recent times. Therefore, revising outdated ticket prices has become a shared responsibility of both the film industry and governments.
Industry leaders should sit with the governments of both Telugu states and design a clear and transparent policy. Such a policy should define ticket prices based on a movie’s budget and scale. It should also clearly state rules for additional and special shows. This clarity would remove last-minute stress and allow audiences to plan their bookings comfortably. The Andhra Pradesh Government has also shown interest in such a system, as confirmed by Minister for Cinematography K. Durgesh.
Apart from ticket pricing, the rise of OTT platforms has reduced footfalls in theatres. In this situation, dragging this ticket price disputes may push common audiences further away from cinemas. The industry now faces its biggest challenge: finding a balanced path that keeps ticket prices affordable for viewers while ensuring producers do not suffer losses.
