Hyderabad: Tollywood is going through one of its toughest phases as theatres across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana continue to witness very low footfalls. Even Fridays, which were once packed with movie lovers, are now looking empty. Trade experts and exhibitors say the biggest reason is the lack of exciting star hero releases and weak content from recent films.
Why Are Telugu Audiences Not Going to Theatres?
According to industry circles, Telugu audiences still love watching movies on the big screen, but only when a film creates strong excitement. In recent weeks, none of the new releases managed to generate that buzz.
The ongoing summer heat and IPL season have also affected theatre attendance. However, exhibitors believe the larger problem is changing audience habits. Many viewers now prefer staying at home and watching fresh content on OTT platforms instead of visiting cinemas. Piracy is also continuing to hurt theatrical collections.
Recent Telugu Releases Fail at Box Office
Among this week’s releases, Godari Gattupaina had some visibility because of its promotions as a summer entertainer. But the film reportedly collected only around Rs. 1 crore gross on its opening day. Trade experts say lead actor Sumanth Prabhas still lacks strong market pull, while the music also failed to attract audiences.
Director Ravi Babu’s Razor also failed to impress moviegoers. Industry observers felt the film did not offer anything fresh and relied on outdated storytelling.
Lavanya Tripathi’s Sathi Leelavathi is said to be performing even worse, with reports suggesting the film failed to connect with audiences completely.
OTT vs Theatres Debate
Another major discussion happening in Tollywood is about extending the OTT release window to eight weeks after theatrical release. Theatre owners believe this could help improve collections.
However, some top producers are reportedly against the idea. They argue that OTT and music rights are helping producers recover huge investments even before theatrical release. According to trade reports, some producers feel OTT platforms currently support the film business more than theatres do.
Tollywood Hopes for a Big Comeback
With big films like Peddi still weeks away from release, exhibitors are now hoping at least one upcoming movie can bring audiences back to theatres and revive the box office situation in Telugu cinema.
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