Chiranjeevi mediates between Andhra Pradesh government, Tollywood over movie ticket price row

Telugu megastar Chiranjeevi has stepped in to mediate between the YSRCP government and the Telugu film industry.

The TFI or Tollywood, the largest in the country after Bollywood, is peeved by Chief Minister Jaganmohan Reddy’s decision earlier this year to lower the cinema ticket prices in the state.

Though the TFI mainly caters to the two Telugu states, revenues-wise coastal Andhra Pradesh brings in the majority of the money. The state government also wants to take over the sale of movie tickets, introducing an online portal.

The move was initially seen as Reddy’s attempt to hurt the profits of popular film personalities like Pawan Kalyan, chief of Janasena, who resumed his acting career after his party’s dismal performance in the 2019 elections.

Also Read | Ram Gopal Varma hits out at AP government over ticket price caps

Tollywood, which is elevated to national stature with mega movies like Bahubali to Pushpa now, is dominated by people from the Kamma and Kapu communities. The Kammas in particular are seen as a section favorable to the TDP.

The YSRCP government had brought in a government order capping the cinema ticket prices in cities at Rs 100, Rs 70 in towns, and Rs 20 in villages.

While YSRCP leaders, ministers claimed that the decision was to make entertainment affordable to the common man, heroes like Nani responded saying that with such rates, “kirana kiosks operating adjacent the cinemas make better profits.”

Several theaters have reportedly shut in the past few months, unable to operate at the lowered prices. Amid heated exchange of words between TFI and YSRCP, Chiranjeevi, a mega figure in the Telugu industry, appeared on the scene on Thursday.

Chiranjeevi, elder brother of Pawan Kalyan, flew to Vijayawada in a chartered flight and met Jagan at his official residence in Tadepalli over lunch.

“The meeting took place in a very amicable environment, where I explained to him our version - problems of producers, distributors, theater owners, etc. The CM responded positively,” Chiranjeevi told reporters, adding that he is expecting a decision acceptable to everyone in a few days.

Chiranjeevi appealed to the TFI members not to make any further comments on the issue.

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