Audience Vanishing from Theatres Worries Telugu Exhibitors?
Tollywood’s theatrical crisis appears to be worsening with yet another disastrous weekend at the box office
A leading exhibitor has expressed deep concern over the alarming decline in theatre footfalls across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, stating that “audiences have almost disappeared from theatres” over the last few months. According to him, nearly 1,000 exhibitors are now struggling to survive as theatres continue to witness shockingly low occupancy even on Fridays, which were once considered guaranteed crowd-pullers.
Tollywood’s theatrical crisis appears to be worsening with yet another disastrous weekend at the box office. Trade circles believe the biggest reason is the complete absence of major star hero releases and the lack of excitement surrounding current films. As a result, even regular first-day moviegoers are staying away from cinemas, leaving exhibitors increasingly anxious about the future.
Among the latest releases, "Godari Gattupaina arrived with moderate visibility after being promoted as a good entertainer. However, the film failed to generate meaningful pre-release buzz. Trade analysts point out that lead actor Sumanth Prabhas still lacks strong market pull, while the music also failed to connect with audiences. According to reports, the film managed only around Rs. 1 crore gross on opening day, which is considered disappointing.
Director Ravi Babu’s Razor also failed to make any impact at the box office. But trade observers say Razor itself failed to offer anything fresh. "Its a contrived plot with dated narration,' he adds .
Another release, Sathi Leelavathi starring Lavanya Tripathi, appears to be in even worse condition. Industry talk suggests the film collapses narratively as it progresses and fails to leave any memorable impact.
The exhibitor believes that "Telugu audiences still enthusiastically support theatrical cinema when a film genuinely excites them. But viewing habits have changed dramatically in recent years. OTT platforms and piracy continue to damage theatre culture, with streaming services offering fresh content every Thursday and Friday."
With Peddi still weeks away from its June 4 release, exhibitors are desperately hoping at least one smaller film can survive and maintain minimum occupancy levels. Trade circles are closely watching whether any upcoming release before June 4 can finally generate enough excitement to bring back genuine houseful morning shows, even for a single opening day.
