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To:
Government of Andhra Pradesh & Telangana,
Telugu Film Producers Council,
Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce,
Major Overseas Telugu Distributors

In the last few years, Telugu movie ticket prices have gone far beyond what regular audiences can afford  both in India and overseas. What started as a special exception for huge films like Baahubali and RRR has now become a routine practice, even for average-quality movies. In India, it has become normal for theatres to charge ₹1,000, ₹2,000, and sometimes even ₹3,000 during the first few days. Governments continue approving these price hikes by calling movies “festival releases” or “big star releases.”

Outside India, the situation is even worse. Telugu NRIs in the USA, UK, Australia, UAE, and Canada are paying $20 to $40 per ticket, even for small and medium films. At the same time, Hollywood movies  which actually have higher production costs, better VFX, and larger teams cost around $12 on average. Hindi films, which have a much bigger global market, still follow normal overseas pricing without exploiting their audience.

Meanwhile, several small Telugu movies like Little Hearts and Pre-Wedding are priced at only $10–$12 and often deliver better stories than many big star films. Behind-the-scenes videos from recent high-budget films clearly show that most action scenes are done by dupes, and the heroes only appear for walk shots or simple acting. Despite this, these movies are the ones with the highest ticket prices.
Producers often claim that they are “spending like Hollywood,” that their budgets are huge, and that they are facing losses. They also say actors are taking big risks and therefore deserve ₹25–₹50 crore remuneration plus profit share. At the same time, many producers claim that theatre performance is unstable, so they need higher ticket prices and tax benefits from the government. Yet, no producer has ever provided a verified public report explaining exactly where this money is being spent.
In comparison, Malayalam and Tamil film industries provide honest storytelling while keeping ticket prices reasonable. Their approach shows that good cinema does not require exploiting the audience.

What We Are Asking :
Before increasing ticket prices or asking the government for special permissions, Telugu producers should publicly share a simple and clear cost report. When producers want to raise prices, apply for special event pricing, or request tax benefits, audiences have the right to know where the money is going.

We are asking producers to release a public breakdown of their budgets. This should include the total production cost, actor and actress payments, director and writer fees, VFX and technical costs, set and art expenses, marketing and promotions, overseas distribution costs, and all profit-sharing agreements. If producers say they are spending money like Hollywood, they should prove it with transparent documentation, just like Hollywood studios do.
If producers are requesting higher ticket prices or government support, this transparency should be mandatory. A public cost report should be available on an official website so that journalists, government officials, and regular citizens can verify the information. Ticket prices should not be increased without proper justification.

Fair Ticket Pricing:
We are also asking for a reasonable cap on ticket prices in India, even for major films. Overseas ticket prices must stay close to Hollywood pricing instead of doubling or tripling. The common practice of labeling every Telugu movie as a “special event” just to block AMC A-List, Regal Unlimited, and Cinemark discounts needs to stop. All films big or small deserve equal and fair pricing rules.
Why This Matters
Right now, Indian families are being forced to pay ₹1,500 to ₹3,000 per ticket during the first few days of a movie’s release. At the same time, NRI families are spending $80 to $120 just to watch a single film together. Because of this, many people are avoiding theatres completely and waiting for OTT releases. Instead of addressing this issue, producers keep blaming reviews, piracy, social media negativity, and audience taste. But the real problem is unfair pricing and lack of transparency.
If this continues, audiences will permanently stop going to theatres. Only a few “event films” will survive, and smaller filmmakers will struggle even more. Telugu cinema will slowly lose its trust, reputation, and loyal fan base.
We want to be clear: we are not against big budgets, high actor salaries, or producers making profits. But we are against overcharging people, making inflated budget claims without proof, and keeping everything hidden from the public.

Our Vision:
We want a Telugu film industry where ticket prices are fair, not abusive. We want producers to show real cost numbers before raising prices. We want governments to protect the public, not just the film lobbies. We want NRIs to stop being treated as easy money sources. And most importantly, we want good movies to succeed because of quality — not because of hype or inflated pricing.
Our Message to Producers, Distributors, and the Government
We love Telugu cinema. We grew up with these movies and we continue supporting them around the world. But loving cinema does not mean blindly accepting unfair practices. If producers want higher ticket prices, they must first earn the trust of the audience by being transparent.
If you want our money, show us the numbers.
If you want our trust, give us honesty.
Until then, many families will choose to stay home, wait for OTT, or spend their money on industries that respect their audience.

Please Sign This Petition:
If you believe Telugu movie ticket prices should be fair, transparent, and honest, please sign and share this petition with Telugu communities everywhere.
Together, we can send a clear message:
Reveal real production costs before increasing ticket prices.