As two of the most anticipated Telugu releases prepare to hit screens on Thursday, the mood across the exhibition circuit is a mix of cautious optimism and honest concern. Ustaad Bhagat Singh, starring Pawan Kalyan, heads into a direct clash with Dhurandhar 2, and early signals from the ground are telling a layered story. Dhurandhar 2, made primarily in Hindi, has been dubbed in Telugu after seeing audience response to the first iteration of the film.
On the exhibition side, there is little ambiguity about where the majority of the trade has placed its bet. A. Srinu, who operates multiple single-screen theatres across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, says the preference has been decisive. “90% of single-screen theatres across both states have given preference to Ustaad Bhagat Singh. The occupancy rates have been strong as well,” he said.
That kind of dominance on the single-screen circuit, which has historically driven first-week collections for mass entertainers in the Telugu belt, is a solid foundation to build on. Single screens tend to draw the core, loyal audience segment that typically turns out in large numbers on opening day and through the first weekend.
A regional split in audience preference
Sunil Narang, a prominent exhibitor in the Telugu film industry, sees a clear geographic pattern emerging between the two releases.
“Compared to Dhurandhar 2, we see a stronger inclination towards Ustaad Bhagat Singh overall. With nearly a month of no major new releases and the festival season upon us, I think audiences are going to end up watching both films. In Andhra Pradesh, Ustaad Bhagat Singh is clearly leading. In Telangana, which has a more cosmopolitan audience base, Dhurandhar 2 has a slight numerical edge. But I don’t think that will hurt Ustaad Bhagat Singh’s performance in any significant way,” Narang said.
His reading reflects a familiar pattern in the Telugu market. Andhra Pradesh tends to respond more strongly to mass, rural-facing entertainers, and has a strong fan base for Pawan Kalyan, who is currently the Deputy Chief Minister over there. Telangana, on the other hand, with Hyderabad as its commercial centre, often gravitates toward a wider variety of content. The fact that Dhurandhar 2 is holding its own in Telangana is worth noting, but Narang’s broader assessment is that the festive window is large enough to accommodate both films.
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Advance bookings raise concern
Where the picture gets more complicated is in the pre-release booking data. Industry analysts tracking numbers across both states say the advance bookings for Ustaad Bhagat Singh are noticeably below expectations when placed against benchmarks from comparable releases.
“Ticket sales in Andhra Pradesh opened a few days ago, accompanied by a price hike. In Telangana, bookings only opened the day before yesterday. When you compare these numbers to They Call Him OG or Hari Hara Veera Mallu, both recent Pawan Kalyan releases, the advances for Ustaad Bhagat Singh look considerably weaker. Combined occupancy across both states stands at roughly 40% at the moment. That said, we expect a meaningful uptick once the evening shows tonight get underway,” said an analyst tracking the Telugu theatrical market.
A 40% combined occupancy figure at this point in the booking cycle is a number the trade will be watching closely. The late opening of ticket sales in Telangana is one contributing factor. When bookings begin closer to the release date, it naturally compresses the window for early momentum to build, and does not always reflect the true appetite for a film.
In an interaction with SCREEN, Naveen Yerneni, producer at Mythri Movie Makers, said, “We were aware of Dhurandar 2’s release and did not see it as a threat to our film. Ours is a regional film, and while a film like Toxic with its wider reach could have posed stronger competition, Dhurandar 2 operates in a different space. Many audiences would prefer to watch Dhurandar 2 in Hindi, so we do not see it as direct competition in the Telugu market. While it may perform in major urban centres, we are confident that audiences across the region will overwhelmingly turn up for Pawan Kalyan’s film.”
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The price hike in the two telugu-speaking states adds another variable. Premium pricing can boost per-show gross collections but tends to reduce the volume of casual walk-in audiences who might otherwise fill seats across multiple shows. In a market where word of mouth after day one drives the bulk of a film’s run, that balance carries real weight.
The one clear advantage Ustaad Bhagat Singh carries into release is its timing. A near month-long gap without a significant new release, combined with an active festive period, means there is genuine pent-up energy in the market. Narang’s point about audiences potentially watching both releases is grounded in reality. Telugu audiences, particularly in smaller towns and district centres, do tend to make multiple theatre visits during festival weeks when the content earns their trust.
Whether Ustaad Bhagat Singh can convert that festive goodwill into a strong opening weekend, despite the soft advance numbers, may well come down to the next 24 hours.
