Rajinikanth’s Coolie and Hrithik Roshan - Jr NTR starrer War 2 set for an epic clash on August 14. However the ticket pricing in Andhra Pradesh (AP) and Telangana (TS) has ignited a storm online from Monday. Distributors are awaiting government approval for special hikes that could push multiplex tickets to Rs 300 - Rs 550, significantly higher than in the films’ home markets, Rs150 - Rs 200 for Coolie in Tamil Nadu and Rs180 - Rs 250 for War 2 in North India.
The gap has triggered sharp reactions across X (formerly Twitter), with many calling the hikes “exploitative.” @Just_Spidye questioned the policy: “Why Tamil [films] imposed in Andhra & Telangana? Why giving hikes for Tamil films? This is shame of TFI.” Others, like @ranjithNBK, pointed to audience behaviour, “For a Tier 1 hero, people will go even with hikes… but for Coolie, it’s a risk. If talk is bad, huge drops from day two.”
The disparity has also drawn political jabs. @LoveIndia163 asked, “#Coolie in TN – Rs 150- Rs 200, #War2 in North – Rs 180-Rs 250, Telugu States – Rs 300-Rs 550? WTH?” Similar sentiments were echoed by many users and the topic has been trending on X.
Some fans believe the discourse is being manipulated. @Jaswanth_1022 claimed, “Even #War2 has same prices… but they’re making it bad for #Coolie.” Meanwhile, @sandeepreddyb_ criticised fan culture itself: “TFI audience fanism is the biggest blessing for exploiters…They justify one hike because ‘our hero is in it’ and oppose another.”
Distributors, who reportedly acquired Telugu rights for record amounts, Rs 44-48 crore for Coolie and Rs 80-90 crore for War 2, are seen as pushing for hikes to recover costs. Supporters of the increases argue cinema is not an essential commodity and pricing is ultimately a producer’s risk and that War 2 has Jr NTR and Coolie has Nagarjuna, both of whom are big stars in Telugu.
A few other users also mentioned recent examples, like Mahavatar Narasimha, which maintained steady footfalls through flexible pricing, have been cited as evidence that affordability sustains theatre attendance. Whether the governments approve the hikes remains to be seen, but the debate underscores a huge uproar and gap between commercial recovery and public goodwill in the Telugu film industry.
