Pawan Kalyan’s upcoming film "Ustaad Bhagat Singh" has not generated the kind of massive buzz that usually surrounds his releases.
While Sujeeth’s "OG" created huge anticipation and went on to become a hit, this cop drama has so far managed only moderate hype.
Adding to the concern is the hike in ticket prices in Andhra Pradesh, which appears to be affecting early bookings.
Advance bookings for the film’s early morning shows have opened in major cities like Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam on BookMyShow. The 5 AM premiere shows are priced at a flat rate of Rs 500.
However, the initial booking trend has been slower than expected. As of now, most theatres are still showing plenty of available seats for the early morning shows.
Typically, Pawan Kalyan’s films witness massive demand, with tickets selling out quickly as soon as bookings open.
This time, though, many theatres still show large numbers of unsold seats.
Trade analysts believe the steep ticket pricing could be a factor affecting the momentum.
According to them, the makers could have opted for regular ticket prices, especially since the film is not a visual-effects-heavy spectacle or a unique event film that would justify such a hike.
Whether bookings pick up closer to the release date remains to be seen.