The producers of Telugu cinema are eagerly waiting for the lockdown to get lifted so that they could reinstate the shoots that are stalled due to coronavirus. Most of the lead actors are not ready to join the sets in these tensed situations. Coronavirus is still worrying as there are enough number of cases. The Centre may lift the lockdown by May 3rd but permissions for the film shoots may not be given soon as there would be hundreds of people working on the sets.

Several producers are in talks to start the shoots to complete the shoot at the earliest and get their projects ready for release. The Producers Council along with the Producers Guild will meet after the lockdown to finalize the things. Some of the actors already informed their producers that they would not join the sets for the next three months till things calm down and situations settle well. This would add a huge amount of stress for the producers financially. We have to wait and see how things shape up after the lockdown gets lifted.

Web series and OTT platforms are the most discussed across the Tollywood circles currently. With the coronavirus lockdown, the audience are spending hours watching digital content. The viewership across the country has been exceptional over these years for OTT platforms. Several top Telugu producers are now keen on producing web series in the coming months. Baahubali producers Arka Media Works are focused and are busy with several web projects. Krish who penned scripts for web series is now producing several projects on First Frame Entertainments. He also inked deals with Allu Aravind’s Aha to co-produce web series.

Sharat Marar recently produced ‘Asalem Jarigindi’. Ashwini Dutt’s daughters are producing a couple of projects on Swapna Cinema. They inked deals with Amazon recently. Manchu Vishnu produced Chadarangam on 24 Frames Factory and is in plans to produce some more web series in the coming months. Several other Tollywood producers like BVSN Prasad and DVV Danayya are in plans to venture into digital space soon by producing web series in the coming days.

With web content in huge demand and no release troubles, several producers are keen on web-based films and web series. OTT giants like Amazon, Netflix, Zee5 and Hotstar are acquiring these web series for huge prices as they need a lot of content.

The big announcement about the lockdown extension for coronavirus came today and as everyone expected the lockdown is now extended. The country will remain shut till May 3rd and the situations post May 3rd are currently unknown. Even after the completion of lockdown, it is sure that the audience will not rush to theatres and watch films. Entertainment turns out to be the last option in this crisis. Taking this as an advantage, several OTT giants are ready with fancy offers to release several films on OTT platforms before they have a theatrical release.

Several producers are facing the heat from the financiers and are thinking to release their films on digital streaming platforms to get out of the crisis. Some of them are puzzled between the theatrical release and digital release for their films as there is no clarity on when the theatres would open up after the crisis. The daily wage workers are badly hit as they are left with no work from the past few weeks. With the lockdown extended, some of the Tollywood producers would vote for OTT release and they would go ahead soon.

Tollywood is completely shattered with the outbreak of coronavirus. All the shoots are stalled and the theatres are shut. Telugu film industry would incur a loss of hundreds of crores because of this shock. Even after the lockdown gets lifted, it would take some time for things to turn normal. Theatres will remain shut till things calm down. There is a huge financial crunch all over and the audience will take their time to settle down and watch films in theatres.

Tollywood bigwigs are in plans to slash down the ticket prices to make films affordable in this crisis. A top producer spoke to Telugu360 expressing his view. He said that “It would be quite good if the ticket prices are slashed down by 40% for some time. OTT platforms turned out to be the major source of entertainment for the audience in this crisis. It is quite tough to divert the audience towards films and hence the price cut for the upcoming releases would be an option. To witness decent footfalls and occupancy in this crisis, the price cut for tickets is the best option”.

All the Tollywood producers should come on to the common stand to implement this and support cinema in this tough time.

Tollywood is left in lockdown with the coronavirus outbreak and the Telugu film producers are going to lose big amounts because of the delay. Several film releases are pushed and some of the shoots are put on hold. With overseas circles completely locked down, the upcoming releases will miss the numbers that come from overseas markets. On the whole, the producers are going to lose a big amount in many ways.

A producer who is not interested to be named said that he has to pay a hefty amount of money as interest alone and his upcoming films will incur a huge loss because of the outbreak. Several producers are not sure if they can release their films soon after this tragedy as there is a huge financial crunch. The ongoing discussion is that if the actors are ready to slash down their remuneration or return back a part of the paid remuneration for the producers.

Some of the producers are in plans to initiate talks with the actors about this. A clarity on this discussion will come once the crisis of coronavirus comes to an end.

In showbiz, add the rare combination of look, glamour and sex appeal, and you get a star. Those rules work bigtime in Tamil and Telugu film industries, when it comes to being a desirable actress. From Nayanthara to Pooja Hedge, IANS takes a look at South Indian cinema’s ruling divas of the moment.

NAYANTHARA
Top picks: “Raja Rani”; “Kolamavu Kokila”
Coming soon: “Aannatthe”; “Mookuthi Amman”

Believe it or not, the numero uno actress of the South Indian film industry is actually an filmstar by accident. She initially began her career as a model and a veejay, and was spotted by director Sathyan Anthikkad, who offered her “Manassinakkare” (2003). Although she rejected the offer first, she went on to sign the film on condition that this would be her only film. But we all know how it turned out for her. From starring opposite A-list actors to becoming the ‘Shero’ of her films, Nayanthara has come a long way. She is also the only South Indian actress to feature on 2018 Forbes India Celebrity 100. She is currently dating director Vignesh Shivan.

SAMANTHA AKKINENI
Top picks: “U-Turn”; “Super Deluxe”
Coming soon: “Kaathuvaakula Rendu Kaadhal”; “NTR 30”

Who says married actresses can’t be successful? Samantha has put a rest to the myth while climbing her way to the top. From her nuanced performance in “Super Deluxe” to owning the screen with her charm in “Jaanu”, this pretty and incredibly talented actress is acing it. While she began her career as a model, it was director Gautham Menon’s Telugu film “Ye Maaya Chesave” that had everyone take notice of her. From then on, there was no looking back. It was during the shoot that she met her husband Naga Chaitanya. A look at her Instagram handle will tell you that she is quite the fashionista.

TRISHA
Top picks: “Kodi”; “’96”
Coming soon: “Ponniyin Selvan”, “Raangi”

After winning the Miss Madras beauty pageant in 1999, Trisha ditched her aspiration to become a criminal psychologist and pursued a career in films. It is needless to say that the decision is paying off! Although she has won everyone with her million dollar smile and flawless looks, Trisha seemed to have won new fans with her subtle yet striking performance in “96”. With Mani Ratnam’s ambitious film “Ponniyin Selvan”, a film opposite Chiranjeevi and Mohanlal in her kitty, it is safe to say that Trisha has been impressing the audience for over a decade.

POOJA HEGDE
Top picks: “Oka Laila Kosam”; “Aravinda Sametha Veera Raghava”
Coming soon: “Most Eligible Bachelor”; “Jaan”

Her Bollywood debut, “Mohenjo Daro” opposite superstar Hrithik Roshan was a disaster after she appeared on the big screen for the first time in the Tamil film “Mugamoodi”. However, this former I AM She-Miss India Universe found a sweet spot in the Telugu film industry. Be it her sweet charm in “Mukunda” or her spunky look in “Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo”, Pooja Hedge is earning praise in Tollywood. After starring in superhit films opposite Allu Arjun, Pooja is now once again all set for bigtime Bollywood, opposite Salman Khan in the upcoming “Kabhi Eid Kabhi Diwali”.

ADITI RAO
Top picks: “Kaatru Veliyidai”; “Sammohanam”
Coming soon: “Ponniyin Selvan”; “Thughlak Durbar”

She is the great granddaughter of Sir Akbar Hydari, former Prime Minister of the Nizam, and J. Rameshwar Rao, Raja of Wanaparthy. Her lineage probably explains the tinge of regal poise about her attitude and looks. It is no wonder that she has appeared as a princess in films like “Paadmaavat”, “Khoobsurat” and the upcoming film “Ponniyin Selvan”. Although she made her debut in the Malayalam film “Prajapathi” way back in 2006, the South Indian film industry only took notice of her in Mani Ratnam’s “Kaatru Veliyidai”. She eventually went on to win everyone with her sensuality in “Sammohanam”, “Chekka Chivantha Vaanam” and “Psycho”.

KAJAL AGGARWAL
Top picks: “Magadheera”; “Vivegam”
Coming soon: “Indian 2”; “Mumbai Saga”

She is the first South Indian actress to have a wax statue at Madame Tussauds Singapore. One of Telugu and Tamil cinema’s most stylish and bankable stars of today, Kajal Aggarwal’s is a popular face in A-list projects. She is also a face of several brands. While her film debut in both Tamil and Telugu received lukewarm reception, Kajal eventually found success in several big-budget films.

RAKUL PREET
Top picks: “Manmadhudu 2”; “NGK”
Coming soon: “Ayalaaan”; “Indian 2”

Sexy and how! Rakul Preet is swooning everyone by setting new fitness goal and displaying oomph in every film she appears in. Having won titles of Miss Talented and Miss Beautiful Smile at beauty contests, Rakul Preet debuted in the Kannada film industry to earn extra pocket money. It was only later that she realised how big South Indian films are, and she began taking her work seriously. Fast-forward to today, this stunner is scorching the screens with her looks!

RASHMIKA MANDANNA
Top picks: “Geetha Govindam”; “Chalo”
Coming soon: “Pogaru”; “Sultan”

Apart from making jaws drop with her emotive performance in “Geetha Govindam” and “Bheeshma”, this Kannada-born Telugu actress is soon to charm the Tamil film audience as well. She is learning how to speak in Tamil for her debut opposite Karthi. After starring in back-to-back hits, she is one of the most sought-after actors of today.

TAMANNAAH

Top picks: “Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy”; “F2: Fun And Frustration”
Coming soon: “Seetimaarr”; “That is Mahalakshmi”

If there is one actress who switches between glam and de-glam with ease, it is Tamannaah. Given her flawless look and incredible dance moves, she remains a popular choice among mainstream filmmakers. Ever since her debut at the age of 15, Tamannaah has starred in a slew of hit films. She is one of the highest-paid actress of South Indian cinema.

ANUSHKA
top picks: “Baahubali”; “Rudhramadevi”
Coming soon: “Nishabdham”

Queen Rudhramadevi, Queen Devesena and the Queen in Tamil and Telugu films, this list is incomplete without a mention of the actress. With her impressive height and acting abilities, this diva can singlehandedly take on bad guys in her films and draw crowds to theatres.

Gone are the days where heroes hesitated or kept mum to appreciate the works of other actors. With social media taking a major stage, all the actors have been active to interact with their fans and post good things about the films of other actors. Ram Charan and NTR surprised everyone after they signed RRR which is sure the biggest multi-starrer of the year. They are well bonded outside after the shoot which is sure a great sign.

Tarak is one actor who is winning the hearts constantly with his bonding. His tweet appreciating Bunny for his film Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo is shaking the internet. NTR essaying Allu Arjun as ‘Baava’ is the sweetest thing on the internet today. Mahesh Babu is always a front runner to appreciate films immediately after watching. He takes twitter to appreciate the actors and technicians for their work.

But things are completely different with fans. The fan wars across facebook and twitter are turning murkier every day. Despite of the actors requesting their fans to stay away from fan wars, they are not bothered about the words of their favorite actors. It’s high time for them to wake up and realize about the healthy bonding between the actors and appreciate other films instead of exchanging words that are leading to wars on social media.

After the completion of Dasara, Tollywood witnessed a major slump and the collections reached all-time low. Tollywood audience stopped coming to theatres due to various reasons. None of the recent releases too failed to generate positive buzz except Karthi’s Khaidi that released for Diwali. The season of films is expected to start with Venky Mama which is slated for December 13th release. Venkatesh and Naga Chaitanya are the lead actors in this family entertainer. The makers are expecting that the film will open with a bang.

Soon after this, Balakrishna’s Ruler and Sai Dharam Tej’s Prati Roju Pandaage are hitting the screens on December 20th. Raj Tarun’s Iddari Lokam Okate and Mythri Movie Makers’ Mathu Vadalaraa are releasing on December 25th. Apart from these, Salman Khan’s Dabangg 3 and Karthik’s Donga are slated for Christmas release. Tollywood filmmakers and buyers are quite confident that the audience will line up to theatres and the upcoming releases will end up as money-spinners. If this happens, Tollywood will end up with a bang for 2019.

Already the news got out that Nithin agreed to get into the shoes of Ayushman Khurrana, to play the role of a blind man in the Telugu remake of ‘Andhadhun’. Rendered without any usual elements, this role requires a lot of acting prowess to make audiences glued to the screens. And for such a brilliant performance, Ayushman has won ‘shared’ National Award as Best Actor.

Before falling in Nithin’s hands, this film was screened multiple times at many preview theatres in Hyderabad’s popular film studios as many heroes wanted to watch it before taking a final call. From the likes of Siddharth to Bellamkonda Suresh, many tried to lay their hands on this remake but felt such an offbeat film will not work out for them.

Not just Andhadhun, there are many other films like the very same Ayushman’s Badhaai Ho are lying with middle-agents who want to sell the remake rights to Telugu production houses. Though Naga Chaitanya has thought of remaking this movie earlier, somehow he dropped the idea. Back then, Venkatesh thought of starring in Piku’s Telugu version, but Suresh Babu is said to have scoffed the idea citing that the film won’t work with Telugu audiences.

Are offbeat films really not exciting these Telugu stars or they are not sure of commercial success at the box office is the question here. Such films, however, would increase the respect for those heroes who pick them.

The sports films genre is one of the most challenging subjects for filmmakers to choose and execute. While some sports films like Ashwani dedicated themselves to the legendary sports athletes, there are other films which had sports as a strong backdrop in the midst of the main storyline. We have often seen the hero being a sports star or just try out a sport such as Mahesh Babu in Okkadu and Venkatesh in Vasantham. Natural Star Nani showcased himself as a kabaddi player in Bheemili Kabaddi Jattu which was much appreciated as well.

However, films based on sports have evolved much impressively with years to come. The sports were no longer seen as just a glamorous profession but also as a place which has a lot of challenges. Indraganti Mohana Krishna made Golkonda High School which emphasized on the importance of physical education in schools. Sumanth has excelled in the role of a cricket coach which inspired much of the audience. Prakash Raj’s Dhoni also revolved much around Cricket and how a father realizes his son (Akash Puri)’s passion towards the sport. Weaving family values over a sport was quite much appreciated by the Telugu audience.

But off late, much of the movies are appreciating this trend once again and also bringing in female leads to play in the role of a sportsperson. Interestingly, the three films this year- namely Majili, Jersey and now Dear Comrade revolve around Cricket. The filmmakers are also breaking stereotypes by showcasing women playing a gentleman sport like Cricket. It was nice to watch Rashmika Mandanna strike sixes and boundaries in Vijay Deverakonda’s latest release Dear Comrade!

The lane down from now should be much more films on not just Cricket but also on other sports which need the attention of the majority of the audience.