Vinay Kumar
Pawan Kalyan has had an illustrious career in the Telugu film industry. Making his name slowly with high-octane, action-packed entertainers, the actor has become a prominent star and Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, with fans flocking to theaters to see him in theaters. Let’s take a look at the price his movie tickets were being sold for then and how much, with time, the prices have increased now.
Pawan Kalyan’s early career and debut film
Pawan Kalyan began his career in Tollywood with his debut movie, ‘Akkada Ammayi Ikkada Abbayi,’ which was released on October 11, 1996. Directed by E. V. V. Satyanarayana, the film was a Telugu remake of the Bollywood blockbuster ‘Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak.’ Later, with his success, he went to collect more praise with films like ‘Tholi Prema,’ ‘Thammdu,’ and more.
Movie ticket prices in the 1990s
Now speaking about the ticket prices of the film in the mid-1990s, movie tickets in the Telugu states, which are Andhra Pradesh and now Telangana, during that time were quite affordable in comparison to today. During that year, as reported by the Sbdb FORUMS website, particularly the single-screen theaters were very budget-friendly. The balcony and upper-class seats for popular films ranged from around Rs 5 to Rs 10, depending on the region, and the price of a basic seat could be as low as Rs 1 to Rs 5. As the sites also mentioned that in smaller towns like Kakinada or Tenali, balcony seats would cost over Rs 5 to Rs 8 in the early 1990s. In big cities like Hyderabad, they were higher, around Rs 10 in 1991, Rs 12 to Rs 15 in 1994-1996, and up to Rs 20 by 1997-1998. The prices then jumped for premium or air-conditioned theaters during Pawan Kalyan’s early films in the range of around Rs 15 to Rs 30.
Ticket prices in 2026 seen massive increase
However, now in 2026, almost three decades from then, the ticket prices have soared. They have risen dramatically due to inflation, a large number of multiplexes, the increase in production cost of a film, and government-regulated hikes. A basic ticket for a single screen is around Rs 150 to Rs 200, and in a multiplex, a price can go to Rs 250 to Rs 500 and sometimes even more, depending on the film.For major Pawan Kalyan releases like ‘They Call Him OG,’ which was released in 2025, the price of special and premiere shows even went up from Rs 800 to Rs 1000. Just a few days before the film hit the big screens, the Andhra Pradesh government issued an official order permitting a sharp hike in ticket prices. The price would look really high; however, during its release, it was a fanfare for his fans who were watching him in an action-packed role like his earlier days after a long time. Interestingly, a fan went to spend a staggering Rs 129,999 to purchase a benefit show ticket through a special auction or a 1 a.m. show on the release date of the film, as per The Hindu. The ticket was bought by a fan who wanted to contribute to the actor-turned-politician’s political journey. The entire amount is said to be donated to his party, the Jana Sena Party.Speaking in mathematical terms, there’s a roughly 10 to 20 times increase in the prices over around 30 years. These are driven by economic changes, theater upgrades, and a rise in star power. Pawan Kalyan’s recent films have seen a staggering rise, and as Deputy CM, I have seen government approvals for such increases.
