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News18
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Dil Raju Denies Theatre Shutdown Rumours Before Pawan Kalyan's Film Release
Last Updated: Dil Raju denied plans to close theatres in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana before Pawan Kalyan's film release, dismissing shutdown rumours. Renowned Tollywood producer and exhibitor Dil Raju has categorically denied any intention to close theatres in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana before the release of Pawan Kalyan's highly awaited film, Hari Hara Veera Mallu. It is set to premiere on June 12. During a media interaction on Monday, as reported by IANS, Dil Raju asserted, 'No one has the guts to stop the release of Pawan Kalyan's film." He dismissed the rumours about a possible theatre shutdown as unfounded and misleading, attributing them to 'some vested interests." Clarifying further, Dil Raju, who also leads the Telangana State Film Development Corporation, stated, 'I was not part of any meeting which decided to shut down theatres or the Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce gave any such signal. Why would anyone think of stopping Pawan Kalyan movie, who is a big star with a huge following?" It all began on April 19 when exhibitors and distributors from East Godavari district in Andhra Pradesh threatened to close theatres if their long-standing demands were not addressed. However, Dil Raju noted that the situation had improved since then, as 'they softened their stand later as producers understood the problems faced by exhibitors." Exhibitors across other regions of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana had also raised demands, including a shift to a percentage-based revenue system, but Dil Raju emphasized that 'theatre shutdown was never on the agenda in any meeting." Despite these clarifications, rumours continued to swirl that the release of Hari Hara Veera Mallu might be impacted. This confusion even irritated the Andhra Pradesh government, according to Dil Raju. Addressing the issue, Andhra Pradesh's Tourism and Cinematography Minister Kandula Durgesh, a prominent leader in Pawan Kalyan's Jana Sena, suggested a conspiracy behind the theatre shutdown calls and demanded an investigation. Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan issued a strong statement criticizing the Tollywood industry for not engaging with the current government. 'Filmmakers come to the government only during the release of their movies," he remarked, condemning the industry's silence and adding, 'The film industry forgot the alleged humiliation meted out to them by the previous government of YSR Congress." Kalyan also declared that no individual meetings would be allowed with producers or directors over issues like ticket pricing or film releases. 'All communication must go through recognised film associations," he insisted. His comments also touched on broader issues, including transparency in theatre revenues, poor cinema infrastructure, and regulatory confusion over ticket pricing.
Pink Villa
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Theater shut down in AP and Telangana put on temporary hold ahead of Thug Life, Hari Hara Veera Mallu's release
The ongoing conflict between theater exhibitors and producers in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh reached a peak when the former demanded a complete shutdown of single screens starting June 1. This move put the future of major releases like Thug Life and HHVM at risk. Now, the shutdown or bandh has been temporarily called off after mutual consensus, with an interim agreement that exhibitors will hold the bandh for now, as these two films are considered important for their potential business. The previous meeting between the two parties centered on disagreements over the revenue share model. The theater owners are now demanding a percentage-based revenue model, along with a longer gap between the theatrical and digital release of a film. The meeting failed to produce positive results as many producers and makers were absent and couldn't share their inputs. With two major films, Thug Life and HHVM, set for theatrical release, the Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce has confirmed the temporary suspension of the shutdown to support the upcoming big business. Based on earlier reports, the bandh scheduled to start on June 1 had the potential to disrupt box office collections not just for these two films. Moreover, if the shutdown had extended, it could have severely affected the performance of several other releases like Kuberaa and Kannappa. Now that the crisis has been averted, these projects can proceed as planned and are expected to perform well at the box office. For those unaware, Thug Life is set to release on June 5, 2025, while Hari Hara Veera Mallu will hit theaters on June 12.
Indian Express
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Theatre exhibitors temporarily call off bandh ahead of the releases of Kamal Haasan's Thug Life and Pawan Kalyan's Hari Hara Veera Mallu
Exhibitors from the Telugu states – Telangana and Andhra Pradesh – have temporarily called off the single-screen theatres bandh after a crucial meeting between the exhibitors' association and leading Telugu film producers on Wednesday. The bandh, initially scheduled to begin on June 1, was announced by the exhibitors' association in protest over the ongoing dispute regarding the revenue-sharing model between producers and theatre owners. According to a report in Cinema Express, although the meeting did not result in a concrete resolution, exhibitors decided to defer the bandh in light of the potential business opportunity because of the release of two highly anticipated films – Kamal Haasan's Thug Life and Pawan Kalyan's Hari Hara Veera Mallu, which are set to hit theatres on June 5 and June 12, respectively. Why was the bandh called? On Sunday, exhibitors from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana issued a bandh notice announcing a complete shutdown of single-screen theatres starting from June 1. The decision came after a meeting of the exhibitors' association. The core issue stems from their dissatisfaction with the current rental-based revenue-sharing model. Exhibitors are demanding a return to the percentage-based model, which was followed until 2002. The percentage-based system, which was originally followed by exhibitors, ensured a fairer split of revenue. However, a few major Telugu producers replaced it with a rental system, a move that impacted single-screen theatre owners. After this, the distributors and exhibitors continued following rental model. Following the bandh announcement, Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce (TFCC) Chairman Dr. Pratani Ramakrishna Goud appealed to the governments of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh to intervene. He urged them to reintroduce the percentage model, asserting that such a system would be mutually beneficial to producers, exhibitors, and distributors. About Thug Life and Hari Hara Veera Mallu Thug Life is a gangster drama that marks the reunion of Kamal Haasan and acclaimed filmmaker Mani Ratnam after 38 years – the duo last collaborated on the iconic Nayakan (1987). The film also stars Silambarasan, Trisha Krishnan, Abhirami, and Aishwarya Lekshmi. With music composed by A. R. Rahman and cinematography by Ravi K. Chandran, the film has generated huge anticipation among fans. Hari Hara Veera Mallu, on the other hand, is a historical action-adventure film directed by Krish Jagarlamudi and A. M. Jyothi Krishna. The film features an ensemble cast including Pawan Kalyan, Bobby Deol, Nidhhi Agerwal, Nargis Fakhri, and Nora Fatehi in pivotal roles.
Hindustan Times
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Exhibitors put theatre bandh in Telugu states on hold temporarily for Hari Hara Veera Mallu, Thug Life
Exhibitors in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh initially called for a theatre bandh from 1 June due to issues with film producers over the revenue sharing model. A Cinema Express report states that they have now decided to temporarily call off the bandh due to the release of Hari Hara Veera Mallu (HHVM) and Thug Life. (Also Read: Kamal Haasan says he and Mani Ratnam 'want the audience to forget Nayakan' when they watch Thug Life) Telugu film producers and the exhibitors' association met on Wednesday to discuss the ongoing dispute over the revenue share model. The meeting was reportedly inconclusive, and the parties will discuss it further before reaching an agreement. However, an unofficial interim was reached, as a source close to the Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce (TFCC) told the publication that the exhibitors will temporarily put the bandh on hold, given the potential theatrical business coming in from Thug Life's release on 5 June and HHVM's release on 12 June. TFCC chairman Dr Pratani Ramakrishna Goud released an official statement and called upon the governments of both the Telugu states to intervene and reintroduce the percentage system that the exhibitors are asking for. He also stated that this system would benefit producers, exhibitors, and distributors, encouraging more opportunities for budding producers. Earlier this week, the exhibitors' association called for a single-screen theatre bandh in the Telugu states from 1 June. The exhibitors pressed for a percentage-based revenue model versus the rental-based model currently in use for theatrical revenue. The percentage system they asked for was reportedly in practice until 2002. However, a few Telugu producers decided on the rental-based system, which reportedly made things difficult. Should the bandh still go into effect from 1 June, only multiplex theatres will remain open in both states. Mani Ratnam's Kamal Haasan, Silambarasan TR and Trisha Krishnan-starrer Thug Life, and Krish and AM Jyothi Krishna's Pawan Kalyan and Bobby Deol-starrer HHVM, will be the films potentially affected. Sekhar Kammula's Dhanush, Nagarjuna, Rashmika Mandanna and Jim Sarbh-starrer Kuberaa and Mukesh Kumar Singh's Vishnu Manchu-starrer Kannappa are also slated for release in June.
The Hindu
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
‘Mana Cinema - First Reel' author Rentala Jayadeva discusses Telugu film history and challenges myths
While in New Delhi for a literary event, author and media professional Rentala Jayadeva handed a copy of his Telugu book Mana Cinema – First Reel, published by Hyderabad-based EMESCO books, to a writer-friend known for his scepticism towards film literature. This friend believed most books on cinema garnered attention for the wrong reasons. A few days later, after reading the book, he admitted he was pleasantly surprised by its depth and passion. 'I am glad the book made him reassess his view of film literature,' shares Jayadeva, a Nandi Award winner (2011) for film criticism. This year has been eventful for him — the book received rave reviews, and he was conferred the Ugadi Puraskaaram by the Andhra Pradesh government for his contributions to journalism and literature. Mana Cinema – First Reel, while busting long-standing myths about the Tamil and Telugu talkie eras, also prompted the Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce to declare February 6 as 'Telugu Cinema Foundation Day', marking the release of the first full-length Telugu talkie Bhakta Prahlada in 1932. The book charts the visual medium's evolution over a century, from silent films to sound, detailing it with trivia. It challenges misinformation and urges readers not to accept 'facts' blindly. It is also a heartfelt call to recognise the pivotal role Telugu-speaking personalities — such as LV Prasad, HM Reddy, Paidi Jayaraj, and YV Rao — played in shaping Indian cinema. Edited excerpts from a conversation: How was the seed for the book sown? The book shaped up from my research. My father, Rentala Gopalakrishna, was a theatre artist, translator, journalist, and author. Despite over 200 literary contributions, he was never awarded an honorary PhD. He was fondly called 'Rentala' by peers. I wanted to bring visibility to his name through academic work. Initially, I planned my doctorate on the evolution of dialogue in Telugu cinema, from silent films to talkies. My guide was not thrilled, but I pursued it for seven years. Eventually, when deadlines loomed and I had to re-register, I was advised to switch topics — to my father's poetry. I complied, but the original idea never left me. Over the next 14 years, it grew into a book. By December 2024, the manuscript was done, and the book was published. The idea to trace the evolution of cinema is ambitious. How did you arrive at its structure? I began by tracing the silent film era globally, then moved to its origins in India, focusing on the transition to talkies, beginning with Alam Ara. I then explored the growth of cinema across Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam. Even though I limited the focus to dialogues, the manuscript was over 500 pages. The silent film era was eventful — the constraints of sound design, the need to import technical equipment, the rise of Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras as powerhouses. What caught your attention? Everything about that era fascinated me; the challenge was keeping it concise. Those were fascinating times. How can you fathom the vision of Raghupati Venkaiah Naidu, a photographer at Mount Road in Madras, to build theatres, turn into a distributor, construct a studio and direct films? An aspect that pains me is the ignorance of South Indians to record our history. Why did anyone not make the effort to verify the release dates of Kalidas or Bhakta Prahlada? How did A Narayanan shoot a talkie film, Srinivasa Kalyanam, in Madras in 1934? One story led to another. How did you verify the timelines surrounding early Tamil and Telugu films? In the 90s, I spent the early part of my career in Chennai. I became curious about cinematic history. After work, I attended screenings of world cinema at film clubs and cultural centres. In one instance, a conversation with a film historian gave the book a new direction. The historian, while revealing proof around the release of Kalidas (which was wrongly proclaimed as the first-ever Tamil talkie) in 1931, challenged me to find evidence to state that Bhakta Prahlada (Telugu film) released a couple of months earlier. His tone irked me. It led me to discover that the latter only released in 1932. The revelation around Bhakta Prahlada's release (February 6, 1932) created ripples in the industry. In the process, I found something stranger — that Kalidas was not a Tamil film in the first place. I stumbled upon an interview (from 1931) where the lead actor of Kalidas, TP Rajalakshmi, spoke of rehearsing the Telugu dialogues in Tamil script at shoot. How could our history go wrong? I had to find answers. The book busts myths around the first Tamil and Telugu talkie... I drowned myself in research for 13 years. Buoyed by Alam Ara's success, a Telugu talkie was conceived and HM Reddy was to direct Kalidas, who scouted for new talent in Madras. Popular writer K Subramanyam suggested he consider a silent film actress, TP Rajalakshmi, for the same. Modelled around Rajalakshmi's strengths — in Kuruthi dance and songs (in Tamil) — some segments were shot, after which they filmed Kalidas (in Telugu). It was predominantly a four-reel Telugu film, with Tamil songs, dances, Tyagaraja kritis included as part of the package. A Tamil review by Kalki Krishnamurthy (in the magazine Ananda Vikatan) validates this. I could not wrap my head around the fact that the Telugus didn't bother to authenticate this for so long. Why do you think no one questioned the claim? We may have had journalists writing on Telugu cinema, but most of them were lost in their day-to-day commitments. Moreover, we have very few quality historians. Even my initial intention was not to contest historical claims. When the historian challenged me to find proofs for Bhakta Prahlada's release, the science student in me was restless. I ran from pillar to post across cities and libraries poring over documents, newspaper clippings, taking images and photocopies. I was directionless for a long time. It was a painful quest for truth. The trivia lend raciness to the book. The segments on Alam Ara (1931), Bhakta Dhruva (1934), Balan (1938) are riveting. I was clear that I did not want it to be a thesis book. If I am to make an average reader aware of the facts, the timelines and varied histories of industries, the book needs to have a strong hook. My intent is to shed light on the contribution of Telugu people across industries from the 1900s. I want readers to know about YV Rao's significance in Kannada (actress Lakshmi's father, the director of Sati Sulochana, the first Kannada talkie), Sarada's popularity in Malayalam, HM Reddy's pioneering presence in the early talkie years. For history to come alive, it has to be personalised. I treat myself as a reader first and then, a writer. If I read about Bhakta Dhruva, I would want to know how they used a dummy tiger to film a scene with a child artiste innovatively. Can you imagine an action sequence in the Kannada film Sati Sulochana was shot using three cameras in 1934? As an avid film buff, if these stories excite me, I'm sure the reader would feel the same. Probably, my journalism experience has a role to play in this. How did films become a mass medium in India? Cinema has always wooed the masses, as early as the 1910s, from the time of Raja Harischandra (1913). With Lanka Dahan (1917), there were instances of people coming to theatres in bullock carts. Imagine crowds, for one of the earliest silent films, paid just to watch a train move on the screen. Whenever there's a paradigm shift in storytelling, say from stage dramas to cinema, there were hiccups, but crowds embraced the change gracefully. Film reviews are a touchy topic today. How was the situation back then? The review of the first Telugu talkie film, Kalidas, by Kalki Krishnamurthy, invited criticism from another publication that claimed his review was harsh. Like this instance from the 1930s proves, reviews could invite a lot of drama from the media and the film fraternity alike. Not much about film criticism has changed in over 100 years. (Mana Cinema - First Reel is priced at ₹750; available at leading bookstores and online.)
