Corporates soon to rule Tollywood - TeluguPeople.com News

Big production houses coming together to produce mega budget ventures is a practice that started in Hollywood and courtesy of the trickledown effect, it percolated to Bollywood as well.

The practice which has been borrowed from the corporate world makes sound business sense and is an indication of the growing professionalization in film -making.

In an intensely competitive atmosphere, the marshaling of resources of two or more parties who come together with the same objective in mind usually results in a synergy with unmatchable results. Tollywood seems to be the latest industry adopting this mantra.

For an industry that churns out the second largest number of films in India, producers in Tollywood have been remarkably conventional in their approach to film production, with the majority of them treating it as a personal fiefdom or an extension of their social standing or that of their community in society.

But, thanks to the innovations and changes in the cultural mindset of the populace over the years, the refreshing winds of change are having a balmy effect on Tollywood as well.

The major perceptible difference can be found in terms of spreading the risk for all projects, big or small, by the producers by teaming up with one another.

Hitherto, there were a few films which were made by joint association, the ones which immediately come to mind are: Pellam Voorelithe, which was produced by Ashwini Dutt and Allu Aravind, Athidi by Ramesh Babu and UTV Motion Pictures, Panja by Neelima Tirumalasetty, Shobhu Yarlagadda and Prasad Devineni, Sahasam by BVSN Prasad and Reliance Entertainments, etc.

Happily, for Tollywood this seems to be a trend which has come to stay as can be evidenced by the growing number of joint projects which have been announced recently.

A few notable projects in the offing are: Masala produced by Sravanthi Ravi Kishore and Daggubati Suresh Babu, Attarintiki Daredi by BVSN Prasad and Reliance Entertainments, an untitled venture starring Sai Dharma Tej by Dil Raju and Allu Aravind and Love you Bangaram by Maruti and Vallabha. Baahubali which is tipped to be the most expensive Tollywood film ever made is produced by Prasad Devineni and Shobhu Yarlagadda.

The advantages offered are immense. In an industry that boasts of a success percentage in single digits, pooling the capital would obviously mitigate the risk factor while enabling the producers to have a fair share of the profits.

Another more important cause is that the cost of production has skyrocketed in recent times and any movie with a star hero like Mahesh Babu, Pawan Kalyan or NTR Jr cannot be contemplated for a budget beneath Rs 30 to 35 crore.

This mode of production would enable more producers to make films with big stars. On the other hand, the permeation of digital technology has come as a huge boon to small film makers, bringing cinema production within the gambit of the upper middle class and encouraging partnerships.

Sharing his views on the trend, noted Tollywood producer Bhogavalli Bapineedu, son of BVSN Prasad says, 'We have tied up with Reliance Entertainments so as to minimize our risk. We are already one of the leading production houses in Tollywood and we believe that the future of the industry lies in such strategic alliances.

We are pleased to be the pioneers of this change and this association with Reliance Entertainments would enable us to continue producing mega projects without having to compromise on any of the production values.'

Responding to a query on whether the association was a long term one, he says, 'It is strictly on a film to film basis and would exist as long as both parties see a synergy in it'.