Price Hikes For Coolie And War 2 Trigger Criticism

Increasing ticket prices has become a regular habit for Telugu producers, who get approvals from the Telangana and Andhra Pradesh governments. This trend started with Baahubali and is now followed for almost every film, regardless of its budget.

The latest controversy is because Telangana has allowed the same for dubbed films like Rajinikanth’s Coolie and Hrithik Roshan–NTR’s War 2. Even though both have Telugu actors, they are not original Telugu films.

In Chennai, Coolie tickets in multiplexes cost Rs. 180 to 200, but in Hyderabad, the dubbed version will cost Rs. 300 to 450.

Distributors Suresh Babu and Suniel Narang, who bought the AP–TG rights for Rs. 44 crore, are said to have pushed for the hike to recover costs.

For War 2, producer Naga Vamsi spent Rs. 80 crore for Telugu rights and also secured higher ticket prices. Many viewers feel this is unfair to Telangana audiences, and criticism is growing on social media.