The present and future of Telugu cinema in theatres are under serious question. Audiences are not turning up, and the declining traction has become a major concern.
There was a long standing belief that comedy, horror and devotional films would continue to attract viewers.
It was also assumed that Gen Z audiences would support comedy films tailored to their tastes. However, even that assumption is now being challenged.
Two comedy films targeting Gen Z audiences are releasing today, Gayapadda Simham and Jetlee. Gayapadda Simham features Sri Vishnu, Tarun Bhascker, and JD Chakravarthy, while Jetlee stars Satya along with Vennela Kishore and several comedians.
Jetlee, directed by Ritesh Rana, who is known for Mathu Vadalara, was expected to open strongly among younger viewers. However, the situation is alarming.
Except for a few screens reserved for press shows at Prasad Multiplex, most centres are reporting zero to minimal advance bookings. This has sent shock waves not only to the makers but also to the entire industry.
Gayapadda Simham, despite extensive promotions and JD Chakravarthy’s engaging interviews, is facing a similar situation with negligible advance bookings.
Looking beyond Telugu cinema, Hindi films are not performing any better. Ek Din, starring Sai Pallavi and Junaid Khan, is witnessing almost empty theatres with no advance bookings.
Raja Shivaji, a big budget film by Riteish Deshmukh and Genelia Deshmukh, is also struggling, with only the Marathi version in Mumbai showing some response.
The trend continues across industries. The Tamil film Kara, despite Dhanush in the lead, has failed to generate openings. The Malayalam film Patriot, starring Mammootty and Mohanlal, is also seeing poor response.
Overall, the situation resembles a crisis for cinema. Questions are being raised about who will invest in films under such conditions.
Blaming IPL matches is not convincing, as they occur in the evening, while morning shows are also witnessing empty theatres.
