In a significant development that could affect several South Indian films gearing up for release, including Mani Ratnam and Kamal Haasan’s Thug Life, theatres in the Telugu states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are likely to face a complete shutdown starting June 1. Exhibitors are planning to take stringent steps against the current rental-based revenue model and have reportedly agreed to switch to a percentage-based model. On Sunday, Cinema Express reported the exhibitors held the first joint meeting with their association concerned, and as many as 60 members, including biggies such as Dil Raju and Suresh Babu, were present on the occasion. During the discussion, they also decided to formally issue a request and a bandh notice. The meeting, which attracted attention due to the notable absence of several bigwigs, suggesting a disagreement over the proposal, apparently also saw exhibitors expressing dissatisfaction with the short window between a movie’s theatrical and OTT release. The members are reportedly planning to push for a longer window, at least for films that perform well in theatres. Also Read …