The upcoming Sankranthi season is set to bring a series of major Telugu releases, including Ram Charan’s Game Changer, Venkatesh’s Sankranthiki Vasthunam, Balakrishna’s Daaku Maharaaj, and more. With massive fan expectations and high excitement generated through promotional campaigns, these films are poised for a grand reception.
However, a new regulation by Telangana’s Cinematography Minister, Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, has created a significant obstacle. The minister announced that benefit shows will no longer be allowed in the Nizam region, following the tragic stampede at the Pushpa 2 premiere at Sandhya 70mm in Hyderabad, which claimed two lives.
This means that no films will be granted permission for early screenings, typically packed with eager fans hoping to catch the movie ahead of the official release. These benefit shows, often leading to large crowds, have sometimes resulted in safety concerns. As a result, this decision is a major setback for both movie producers and fans.
The absence of benefit shows is likely to impact the films’ opening-day collections, a concern for producers. For fans, missing out on the excitement of an early screening is a major disappointment.
The new regulation has completely changed the landscape of movie premieres in Telangana. It remains to be seen whether the government will reconsider its stance. Stay tuned for more updates.