Over the past few years, release date postponements have become the norm in Telugu cinema. Big-budget movies will announce release dates and then push them closer to the time they’re actually in theaters, keeping audiences and the industry guessing. Speaking at the success meeting ofLenin:,’ veteran actor Nagarjuna spoke to the growing trend and urged filmmakers to complete their work earlier. Drawing from his own experience, he said the industry needs to rethink its approach for the long-term benefit of Telugu cinema.
Nagarjuna says films should be ready at least two weeks before release
Speaking at the event, Nagarjuna admitted that he too has been part of the problem and stressed that change should start with everyone in the industry. “I am appealing to the technicians, directors and music composers. If we hand over the film to the post-production team at least two weeks before the release, they can continue developing it until the end. This is not about blaming others. I am also saying this about myself because I worked on Lenin until the last minute,” he said as reported by Hindustan Times.Comparing the practice of international cinema, he added, “‘The Odyssey’ announced its release date a year in advance. Nagarjuna revealed that ‘Lenin’ was initially scheduled to release on June 26, but had to be delayed as the post-production work was not completed on time.
The veteran actor remembers a different era of filmmaking
Reflecting on his earlier films, Nagarjuna said that production schedules were more organized earlier. “I remember watching the final print of films like ‘Ninne Pelladata’ and ‘Annamayya’ almost a month before they hit the theatres. My question is, why can’t we do it now? For the sake of cinema and for the health of the industry, we must return to that discipline,” he said. His comments sparked conversations within the Telugu film industry, where delayed releases have become more frequent in the past few years.
“Lenin” provides: Akhil Akkineni a necessary box office success
Nagarjuna’s words came during the success celebrations of ‘Lenin,’ noting: Akhil: Akkineni’s return to the big screen after a gap of three years. Directed by Murali Kishor Abburu, the action drama stars Akhil Akkineni and Bhagyashri Borse in the lead, with Ramki, Sivaji, Sunil, Brahmaji and Easwari Rao playing pivotal roles. Despite receiving mixed reviews, the film emerged as the biggest opener of Akhil’s career and enjoyed a steady run at the box office, making the success a fitting occasion for Nagarjuna to share his thoughts on improving the filmmaking culture of the industry.
