The Telugu film industry is currently facing multiple challenges; from shrinking theatrical revenues to major projects struggling to close OTT deals.
Financial hurdles have already forced big films like Akhanda 2 to postpone their release. Yet, producers continue to operate in a bubble, largely ignoring the harsh market realities.
For the upcoming Sankranthi season, what initially began as a lineup of three Telugu films and one dubbed release has now expanded significantly.
With more titles joining the race, the count has reached seven; five straight Telugu films and two major Tamil-dubbed movies.
This leads to the obvious questions: Can theaters really accommodate seven films during the same festive week? And do audiences have the appetite and spending power to watch so many movies at once?
Biggies like The Raja Saab and Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu will naturally dominate screens and media buzz.
But the real concern lies with the mid-range and smaller films; Bhartha Mahasayulaku Wignyapthi, Anaganaga Oka Raju and Nari Nari Naduma Murari; which are now forced into unnecessary competition.
Adding to the crowd, Vijay’s Jana Nayakudu and Sivakarthikeyan–Sreeleela’s Parasakthi are also set for Sankranthi release in Telugu.
The festive season is known for its box-office frenzy; but this year, it’s chaos waiting to unfold.
Unless producers rethink their strategy, severe screen shortages and losses seem inevitable for most films in the line-up.