The Andhra Pradesh government headed by N Chandrababu Naidu is learnt to have quietly issued an order allowing the theatres in the state to screen the forthcoming film of power star and Jana Sena Party president Pawan Kalyan -- “Agyathavasi” -- round the clock for the first one week.
Normally, theatres are supposed to run only four shows a day or in the exceptional cases five shows. However, the government has now permitted the distributors of Agyathavasi to screen the film for 24 hours without a break.
At the same time, the producers have also got the permission from the government, based on the interim court orders, to increase the ticket prices. It does mean, viewers have to shell down more money to buy tickets to watch Agyathavasi in theatres.
One can imagine how much profit Pawan Kalyan’s film would make for being screened in theatres all through the day at highly enhanced rates.
Surprisingly, there was no written request either from Pawan Kalyan or the film makers to the Andhra Pradesh government for running the film round the clock.
Pawan is believed to have made a telephonic request with Chandrababu Naidu for increasing the show timings.
Obviously, Naidu could not say to Pawan’s request, as the latter had helped him a lot in 2014 elections by openly extending support to the TDP.
And in the next elections, too, there are indications that Pawan would indirectly help the TDP by splitting the anti-incumbency vote.
So, when Pawan could help the TDP so generously, Naidu, too, is helping him to make big money, running into several crores, by allowing extended timings and higher ticket prices for his films.
What do you call it Mr Naidu, if not quid pro quo?
