Backlash Over Ticket Price Hikes for Coolie and War 2 in Telangana

The Telangana government approved a sharp ticket price hike for two upcoming big releases, Rajinikanth’s Coolie and Hrithik Roshan, NTR’s War 2. This decision triggered strong backlash from moviegoers. They accuse producers and distributors of unfairly exploiting the Telugu audience. The controversy has grown louder this time because both movies are dubbed versions, not original Telugu productions, yet their ticket prices in Telangana exceed those in their original language markets.

Why the Controversy is Bigger This Time

The practice of requesting special price hikes began with Baahubali. Telugu producers have made it routine to approach the governments of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh for such approvals. Authorities usually grant a week-long hike without much scrutiny. This time, audiences feel shocked because even dubbed films enjoy the same privilege.

In Tamil Nadu, multiplexes will sell Coolie tickets at regular rates of Rs 180 – Rs 200. In Hyderabad, multiplexes will sell the Telugu-dubbed version for Rs 300 – Rs 450. Coolie’s distributors, Suresh Babu and Suniel Narang, bought the AP-Telangana rights for over Rs 44 crore and pushed for the hike to recover their investment. For War 2, producer Naga Vamsi bought the Telugu rights for nearly Rs 80 crore and secured a similar increase. While Mumbai audiences accept higher ticket prices, viewers in Telangana call such rates for dubbed versions unjustified.

Official Ticket Rates in Telangana

Authorities fixed the same ticket prices for both films in Telangana:

Multiplexes

Recliner – Rs 530

Normal – Rs 415

Single Screens

Balcony – Rs 250

First Class – Rs 175

Normal – Rs 100

These rates exceed those for the original Hindi or Tamil versions. Movie lovers point out that no other state in India charges more for dubbed versions than for originals.

Audience Reaction and Social Media Outrage

Audiences flooded social media with complaints and even launched boycott trends. Many recall how Mahavatar Narasimha succeeded because theatres kept ticket prices low, which attracted family crowds and sustained strong footfalls for weeks. With footfalls already falling for many films, audiences believe the sudden price hike for Coolie and War 2 will discourage theatre visits.

Viewers argue that such pricing will damage the long-term theatrical market in Telugu states, especially when dubbed films cost more than originals. The backlash continues to intensify as movie lovers demand fair and uniform ticket rates.

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