All posts tagged: single-screen theatres

Chiranjeevi saves Ram Charan’s Peddi, Telangana theatres give green light under rental system | Telugu News

Chiranjeevi saves Ram Charan’s Peddi, Telangana theatres give green light under rental system | Telugu News

4 min readHyderabadMay 28, 2026 09:56 AM IST The Telugu film industry has stepped back from the edge of a major crisis, at least for now. The Telangana State Film Chamber of Commerce issued an official press note clearing the path for the release of Ram Charan’s ‘Peddi‘ after Megastar Chiranjeevi personally intervened in the ongoing standoff between single-screen exhibitors and producers over the rental versus percentage-sharing debate. The press note stated that after discussions with Chiranjeevi, the Telangana exhibitors have agreed to follow the letter circulated by the Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce, allowing Peddi to release smoothly under the current rental system. What was the fight about? At the heart of this dispute is a long-standing grievance that single-screen theatre owners across Telangana have been nursing for years. Under the present rental system, theatres pay a fixed amount to producers or distributors regardless of how well a film performs at the box office. Whether the seats are full or empty, the rent stays the same, leaving theatre owners exposed to heavy losses when …

Pawan Kalyan’s Ustaad Bhagat Singh dominates Dhurandhar 2: The Telugu box office clash no one can call yet | Telugu News

Pawan Kalyan’s Ustaad Bhagat Singh dominates Dhurandhar 2: The Telugu box office clash no one can call yet | Telugu News

As two of the most anticipated Telugu releases prepare to hit screens on Thursday, the mood across the exhibition circuit is a mix of cautious optimism and honest concern. Ustaad Bhagat Singh, starring Pawan Kalyan, heads into a direct clash with Dhurandhar 2, and early signals from the ground are telling a layered story. Dhurandhar 2, made primarily in Hindi, has been dubbed in Telugu after seeing audience response to the first iteration of the film. On the exhibition side, there is little ambiguity about where the majority of the trade has placed its bet. A. Srinu, who operates multiple single-screen theatres across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, says the preference has been decisive. “90% of single-screen theatres across both states have given preference to Ustaad Bhagat Singh. The occupancy rates have been strong as well,” he said. That kind of dominance on the single-screen circuit, which has historically driven first-week collections for mass entertainers in the Telugu belt, is a solid foundation to build on. Single screens tend to draw the core, loyal audience segment …

Interview | Harshad Nalwade: ‘Follower is a love letter to a friend with whom I have had political differences’

Interview | Harshad Nalwade: ‘Follower is a love letter to a friend with whom I have had political differences’

Follower, the debut feature from Harshad Nalawade, wants to ask the tough questions with grace. At its centre stands Raghu (Raghu Prakash), a radicalised journalist, who follows a local leader and believes that his community has been wronged. He refuses to hear a word against him, as the line between his professional and personal life starts to blur. Harshad Nalawade’s Follower is available to stream on Mubi India. In an exclusive interaction with HT, the filmmaker opened up about the origin story behind the film, his concerns for independent films to coexist with mainstream releases, and why he believes the cinema-going audience knows much more than what we give them credit for. (Excerpts). How Follower took shape Is Raghu inspired by real life? Has he seen someone like him in his surroundings? Nalawade says, “Yes, I would say it is a film about my friend. This film is a love letter to a friend with whom I have had political differences. That is what the film was about, and I was really interested in trying …