Tollywood’s Big Clash for Screens in Sankranthi
The Telugu film industry is getting ready for a big movie festival in the next 9 days, marking the beginning of the super-profitable Sankranthi season in the second week of January. However, recent announcements and discussions reveal that there might be a challenge, as five Telugu and two non-Telugu films are all eyeing a release during this period, creating a bit of a problem, according to trade circles.
The major highlight for Sankranthi 2024 is Mahesh Babu’s “Guntur Kaaram,” scheduled for release on January 12th. Another film, Teja Sajja’s “HanuMan,” is also set for the same date with no plans to change. Venkatesh’s “Saindhav” is lined up for January 13th, and Raviteja’s “Eagle” is also targeting the same date. Nagarjuna’s “Na Saami Ranga” is aiming for a release on January 14th. Additionally, there are two non-Telugu movies releasing on January 12th.
The pressing concern is whether all these movies can easily find space in the available theatres in Telugu states. Even if these films receive positive reviews, they are likely to compete with each other for audience attention. This competition could potentially impact the theatrical business, with each movie eating into the profits of the others. The film that receives average reviews might struggle, and a movie with flop reviews could disappear from single screens within days.
Despite these concerns, the confidence of the filmmakers and distributors remains high, as each of these films is backed by a substantial distributor with an extensive network of theatres. The coming weeks will reveal how this crowded Sankranthi season unfolds for the Telugu film industry.
