Producers these days are no longer individuals lacking education. Many of them are well-educated and have returned from successful ventures in the USA to contribute to filmmaking in India. However, despite their background, some producers are negatively impacting the Telugu Film Industry's ecosystem by announcing false records and influencing the minds of star heroes, who have been demanding increasingly high remunerations for each film.
Tollywood is undoubtedly a hero-centric industry, but who has shaped it this way? Largely, it is the producers who consistently cater to the egos of these heroes to ensure their continued involvement in film projects. However, what are the ultimate gains? Considering the losses incurred and the humiliation faced, the level of submission to star heroes speaks to their psychological disorder.
Here's the pattern: Under the pressure of star heroes and directors, producers start releasing posters within a day of a film's release, exaggerating its box office performance as a mere publicity tactic. They often go to the extent of manipulating Daily Collection Reports (DCRs) with the cooperation of distributors and exhibitors. The intention is to satisfy the hero and their fans. Yet, this results in the hero demanding a significant increase in remuneration for their next film, using these inflated records as a gauge of their market value.
However, who bears the losses? Not only the producers of the current film but also the producers of the next films. Those who offer star heroes a hefty paycheck become the ultimate losers.
To put a stop to this cycle, producers need to refrain from promoting fake records. Unfortunately, their subservience continues. The only effective solution is to establish a system similar to RENTRAK in India. In the USA, manipulating records like this is virtually impossible. Implementing such a system in the Telugu Film Industry would bring about a significant transformation. Producers could also easily deflect star heroes' demands by citing that their hands are tied as everything is system-generated.
Even in India, reliable figures emerge from reputable multiplex chains like PVR and INOX, as their systems are immune to manipulation. This transparency should extend to all other screens as well. Government intervention could facilitate this transparency among all stakeholders.
In the current scenario, producers are constantly striving to maintain favor with star heroes for their own survival. Under the guise of presenting themselves as successful producers, they attempt to conceal losses with artificial smiles and fabricated records. As long as producers continue deceiving themselves in this manner, star heroes will continue draining resources not only from them but also from the entire industry, leading to its downfall. This should serve as a wakeup call for producers.
Usha Chowdhary
