Seize the Theatres: Gone wrong!

A Star’s Fall: Pawan’s Missteps Ignite a Crisis
In a plot twist worthy of a Telugu blockbuster, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan has stumbled into a political quagmire of his own making. The threatened closure of cinema halls across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, announced by theatre owners on May 18, 2025, has exposed Pawan’s governance as a chaotic blend of hypocrisy, intimidation, and incompetence. With his film Hari Hara Veera Mallu set for release on June 12, the timing of the June 1 strike threat has Pawan lashing out, but his actions—ordering theatre inspections and issuing veiled threats—have only deepened the industry’s distrust and highlighted his administration’s failures. Once a champion of the film industry’s freedom, Pawan now stands accused of betraying it, leaving exhibitors and audiences reeling.
A clandestine plot and a clueless government
On April 19, 2025, theatre owners from East and West Godavari districts met in secret, plotting a strike to demand a revenue-sharing model to sustain their struggling businesses. The news, however, evaded the state’s intelligence apparatus, revealing a government so preoccupied with political vendettas it failed to notice a major industry uprising. Former Cinematography Minister Perni Nani, a YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) firebrand, seized the moment to expose this lapse. “What kind of intelligence department do they have?” Nani thundered in a press briefing. “They’re too busy tailing YSRCP leaders, tapping phones, and staking out our homes to notice the state falling apart.” He accused the Pawan Kalyan-Chandrababu Naidu administration of diverting police resources to harass YSRCP members while ignoring pressing issues like murders, crimes, and even a social boycott of a Dalit community in Pawan’s own Pithapuram constituency. Yet, when it comes to halting a movie, Pawan springs into action with inspections, betraying his skewed priorities.
From free market to popcorn policing: A hypocritical turn
Pawan’s contradictions are glaring. During the YSRCP regime, he scoffed at their ticket price regulations, declaring, “It’s our money, our films, our dances, our fights—what business does the government have interfering?” At the Game Changer event, he championed a free-market approach, praising black-market ticket sales as a boon for producers. Yet, a year into his tenure as Deputy Chief Minister, Pawan has embraced the very meddling he once condemned. On May 24, 2025, he ordered Cinematography Minister Kandula Durgesh to investigate the theatre closure threat, fixating not on exhibitors’ demands for revenue sharing but on regulating food and beverage prices. “They’re enforcing our rules—five shows a day, controlled prices—because they know they work,” Nani mocked, pointing out that Pawan’s government has retained YSRCP’s policies despite his earlier criticisms. Pawan’s sudden crusade for “reasonable” popcorn and soft drink rates, aimed at boosting footfall and tax revenue, reeks of hypocrisy, as it contradicts his own demand-driven rhetoric.
Threats over solutions: ullying an ailing industry
Rather than addressing theatre owners’ legitimate grievances, Pawan has resorted to intimidation. In a May 24 statement, his office accused producers of ingratitude, snarling, “You’ve given the government a return gift.” He demanded to know why industry leaders hadn’t met Chief Minister Naidu, warning that he would only engage with cinema associations, not individuals. Worse, he ordered inspections of theatre food prices, a move that has left small exhibitors reeling. “Small theatres are struggling to survive, yet Pawan targets us while multiplexes charge exorbitant rates unscathed,” one exhibitor lamented. Nani piled on, accusing Pawan of using state power to bully the industry he once claimed to represent, all to protect his film’s release. “He’s more interested in who Jagan is calling than what’s happening in his own state,” Nani quipped, likening the government to “a monkey with a coconut,” clueless about how to wield its power.
A conspiracy within?: The Janasena Debacle
The crisis took a dramatic turn when producer Dil Raju, in a May 29 press meet, pointed to Jana Sena leader Atti Satyanarayana as a key instigator of the strike, leading to Atti’s suspension from the party. Atti retaliated, alleging that Dil Raju, his brother Shirish, and Daggubati Suresh Babu were the real masterminds. Meanwhile, industry giants like Allu Aravind distanced themselves, with Aravind clarifying he operates just 15 theatres in Andhra Pradesh and one in Telangana. Social media buzz suggests Pawan’s aggressive posturing is driven by fears that the strike could derail his film, blurring the line between his cinematic and political roles. Nani didn’t miss the chance to rub it in: “Pawan’s own party is entangled in this mess, yet he points fingers elsewhere.”
Jagan’s Legacy shines through Pawan’s fumbles
Pawan’s actions have inadvertently validated YSRCP’s policies. The ticket price regulations he once derided remain in place, quietly proving their worth. “If our policies were so bad, why haven’t they been repealed?” Nani demanded. “Pawan’s government is enforcing our rules because they’re effective.” By mirroring the interference he once condemned—demanding meetings with industry leaders and ordering inspections—Pawan has unwittingly endorsed Jagan’s approach. The yellow media, once vocal in amplifying Pawan’s attacks on YSRCP, has fallen silent, their earlier cries of industry humiliation replaced by a conspicuous hush as Pawan’s contradictions mount.
The Missing Leader Pawan
Pawan Kalyan’s handling of the theatre crisis has been a masterclass in self-sabotage. His silence on the core issue, revenue sharing, while fixating on popcorn prices reeks of distraction. The Pawan who fought for Amaravati farmers, who stood as a voice for the people, is nowhere to be found. “Where is the Pawan Kalyan who stood for justice?” Nani challenged. “If you feel he’s missing, type ‘Missing’ in the comments. Maybe we’ll find him before the theatres shut down.” As the June 1 deadline looms, the Telugu film industry faces uncertainty, and the public’s patience is wearing thin. Pawan’s governance, marked by flip-flops and coercion, has scripted his own downfall in the cinema of Andhra politics, leaving audiences restless for a leader who can deliver solutions, not just drama.