The Telugu film industry is caught in a dilemma and struck by a sense of déjà vu. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy harbours a 70 mm-sized dream that he is keen to fulfil, which is to see the industry move base to the scenic and populous city of Visakhapatnam. This, he hopes, will help the port city grow into “a mega city like Hyderabad or Chennai”. Reddy has been assiduously persuading the industry, popularly known as Tollywood, to shift from Hyderabad, which is located in Telangana and has been home for the industry for decades.
For the industry, this is a case of history repeating itself. About 50 years ago, established as well as upcoming directors, producers and actors were hesitant to move from Madras, where the industry was born and nurtured, to Hyderabad in united Andhra Pradesh. Back then, it was actor-producer Akkineni Nageswara Rao who was trying to convince reluctant producers and directors to shoot their movies in Andhra Pradesh, where he founded the Annapurna Studios in Hyderabad. The move, slow and steady, proved to do wonders for Telugu cinema.
Discussions today over the second move have reached a fever pitch. On February 10, the State seemed star-struck. Television channels and social media were awash with photos and videos as the Chief Minister met Chiranjeevi, Prabhas, Mahesh Babu, S.S. Rajamouli and Koratala Siva, among others. Apart from listening to their concerns, Reddy offered them sops such as land for studios and residential townships in Visakhapatnam. He reminded them that the industry earns more revenue (60%) from Andhra Pradesh than Telangana. He promised to construct a locality similar to Jubilee Hills, the affluent suburban neighbourhood in Hyderabad where many actors live. The Chief Minister left no stone unturned in his pursuit of getting the show on the road.
