In the upcoming Sankranti season, senior film producers in Tollywood find themselves taken aback by the release of five films simultaneously. This unexpected surge has raised concerns among industry veterans, prompting discussions about the length of this crowded release window and its urgency. The primary question on their minds revolves around the fair distribution of theaters among the competing films, pondering who will emerge victorious and who might face losses in this crowded scenario.
One of the prominent movies, Mahesh Babu’s ‘Guntur Karam,’ stands in first place securing around 90 percent of theaters upon its release on the 12th. However, this expected stronghold is set to decrease significantly to about 50 percent on the 13th. This reduction stems from the arrival of Ravi Teja’s Eagle and Venkatesh’s Saindhav films, which have already laid claim to a considerable portion of the theaters. Adding to the complexity, Nagarjuna’s ‘Naa Saami Ranga’ will further vie for at least ten percent of these theatres on the same day.
Consequently, ‘Gunturukaram’ might have to settle for a reduced share of 60 percent theaters. While there’s a possibility of securing additional screenings in multiplexes if the movie becomes a blockbuster, the situation remains challenging. Moreover, the four other movies releasing alongside ‘Guntur Karam’ will confront a similar challenge in dividing the audience’s attention and box office earnings, regardless of which ones emerge as hits.
Amidst these predicaments, senior producers express dissatisfaction, deeming this intense competition unnecessary and detrimental to everyone involved. They attribute the influx of movies to selfish motives of some producers catering to hero pressures or market demands, causing concerns about the industry’s collective interests.
The industry voices skepticism regarding this overcrowded Sankranti release, marking the need for better planning and coordination among filmmakers to ensure a more equitable and sustainable distribution of theaters, fostering a healthier environment for all films to thrive.
