Mahesh Babu is set to take box office by storm with his milestone 25th film Maharshi. Fans are competing with everyone to watch the film's first day first show. Already advance bookings started and in Andhra Pradesh, permissions have been granted for the benefit shows at increased ticket rates.
Not only people but also owners of the single screens are opposing this trend. But the producers and the buyers are saying there is no other way to reach the breakeven and recover the investment as the film's budget and business crossed Rs 100crs.
Maharshi did not start this trend. Right from Rajamouli's magnum opus Baahubali to Pawan Kalyan's disaster Agyaathavaasi, this happened for almost all the films. Watching star heroes films in the first week paying double the amount bearing the double burden is not acceptable and advisable.
To be frank, Maharshi is not having visual effects. It is a regular commercial entertainer but a message about farmers problems will be there. Except that the film has all the elements of a commercial entertainer. Except for the long US schedule and few sets erected in the US, the makers did not spend much on the film. Everything went to the remuneration of the cast and crew.
If one has to increase ticket rates to recover the film's budget for shooting in overseas, then the same applies to all the films. When this trend will stop and who will bell the cat is the million dollar question. Producers, stars and the filmmakers who include subtle social message in their films should answer the logic in drawing hole in the pockets of the movie lovers to watch their message oriented films.
All the time they talk of the increased budget. But, they will not explore the ways to reduce the budget and provide wholesome entertainment. Unless until the trend of increasing ticket rates for stars commercial films in the name of recovering the increased budget and robbing the common people of the entertainment, piracy ghosts will go on a rampage.