The Telugu film industry and movie lovers can now breathe a sigh of relief. The proposed closure of single-screen theaters across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, originally scheduled for June 1, 2025, has been postponed indefinitely. Following an intense discussion at the Film Chamber, exhibitors, distributors, and producers agreed to delay the closure of theaters, considering the upcoming release of several high-profile films starting this weekend.
The Film Chamber meeting saw the participation of 40 exhibitors from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, along with several distributors and producers. A majority of the distributors and producers decided to find a solution to the long-standing issues surrounding the rental system and other revenue-sharing models without shutting down single-screen theaters across the two Telugu states.
In the past, single-screen theaters were temporarily closed for a few days due to the Qube issue, followed by a temporary halt in shoots to address the rising remunerations of actors and technicians. Since no permanent solution has been found for either issue, the producers, distributors, and exhibitors collectively agreed not to shut down the theaters again and to work toward a permanent solution in the near future.
From a long time, the Telugu film industry has been facing significant losses due to rampant piracy, the IPL, and the OTT platforms. A majority of audiences have stopped watching movies in theaters, choosing the streaming platforms instead. In this scenario, shutting down theaters even temporarily did not seem like a viable decision to the concerned parties.