Pawan Kalyan fans were expecting paid premieres for Ustaad Bhagat Singh on March 18, but the makers appear to have taken a shocking but sensible call by skipping premieres. The latest reports suggest that the makers have decided not to hold any paid premiere shows on that date. Instead, the film’s shows in India are expected to begin early on March 19 at around 5:00 AM IST, depending on local permissions.
This decision indirectly gives Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge a clear run on the evening of March 18. Earlier, fans and trade circles were debating whether both films would clash through premiere screenings, especially in the Telugu states.
Dhurandhar 2 is planning to start shows from the evening of March 18. If that film receives positive reviews and strong word of mouth, premiere shows for Ustaad Bhagat Singh might not have helped much anyway. In that sense, cancelling premieres could be a smart decision from the makers and distributors, if the reports are true.
Another reason for skipping premieres appears to be the tight production schedule. The team is reportedly busy completing key work such as dubbing, post-production, and background score recording. Because of this rush, promotions have also been minimal. Normally, a big star film relies on a strong promotional campaign, but in this case the makers seem to be depending largely on Pawan Kalyan’s star power and the film’s content.
Ticket pricing has also become a talking point. In Andhra Pradesh, big films easily get permission for ticket price hikes through government orders. However, even tickets priced around Rs. 600 could backfire in this case as the hype for Ustaad Bhagat Singh is not strong enough. When audiences have the option of watching a highly anticipated film like Dhurandhar 2 at lower rates, many may hesitate to pay higher prices for a regular commercial entertainer like Ustaad.
By avoiding the premiere show pressure, the makers can now focus completely on the film’s main release day on March 19. Since the release also falls close to the festive period of Ugadi and Ramzan, the team will be hoping that positive word of mouth brings huge footfalls from both fans and family audiences.
