There is a huge vacuum in Telugu cinema currently, and this is due to various reasons. The OTT players have been quite selective and they are dictating the release dates. The audience are quite selective when it comes to watching films in theatres. At this time, our veteran Tollywood actors and their remunerations are worrying Tollywood producers. Here is a take:
Chiranjeevi: Megastar has been demanding close to Rs 75 crores remuneration and this is big. Megastar has been an undisputed king in Telugu cinema. But with digital market seeing a rise, his non-theatrical market hasn’t been great. His upcoming release Vishwambara is struggling to close the non-theatrical deals, the producers are in stress. He is demanding Rs 75 crores for Anil Ravipudi’s film. If these films does well in theatres, they would be profitable films for sure. Anil Sunkara and NV Prasad who produced the past films of Chiranjeevi have lost money as these films were flops.
Venkatesh: Victory Venkatesh was not much bothered about his remuneration in the past. After Sankranthiki Vastunnam grossed over Rs 300 crores, he has hiked his fee. He has doubled his remuneration and this is worrying the producers who approached him. Saindhav ended up as a huge debacle and Venkatesh decided to stay away from action dramas. He has to pick up entertainers and all of his films will not work like Sankranthiki Vastunnam. A couple of top producers who are in talks are puzzled about the quote of Venkatesh. His brother Suresh Babu has been demanding a share in the profits.
Balakrishna: Nandamuri Balakrishna has been consistent in delivering hits. He was the most accessible actor for his producers. His paycheque reached Rs 40 crores for Akhanda 2, which is a crazy film. But paying Rs 40 crores is a risky job for the producers as it is not a safe bet. If the film ends up as a super hit, the producers will make profits. Otherwise, the losses would be big. He is demanding bigger remuneration for Gopichand Malineni’s film. His daughter Tejaswini is also holding a share in the profits.
Nagarjuna: It has been a long time since Nagarjuna tasted a solid success. He is playing important roles in Rajinikanth’s Coolie and Dhanush’s Kubera. He has taken big remuneration for both these films. He has been in talks to make his comeback as a solo actor. His fans are worried about the delay. But, Nag has been demanding a solid remuneration along with a share in the profits. Or else, he aims to hold the theatrical rights for some of the regions. This is not a fair deal for the producers.
