Will Pawan Kalyan, Jr NTR end Telugu film industry's dry spell?

Chennai: Pawan Kalyan-starrer Telugu action-drama 'Attarintiki Daaredhi' and Junior NTR-starrer 'Ramayya Vasthavayya' will slug it out at the box office this Dussehra. Trade experts believe that the release of the two biggies will pave the way for other big budget flicks that have been postponed.

Not a single big ticket Telugu film has come out in the last two months because of the ongoing political turmoil in the state.

According to trade analyst Trinath, it's a risk not worth taking.

"Nobody is ready to take the first step. The industry has taken a beating due to the ongoing political turmoil in the state. This has resulted in losses for several cinema halls. If these two films release smoothly, then the situation is likely to get better," said Trinath.

Harish Shankar's directorial venture 'Ramayya Vasthavayya', which also features Shruti Haasan and Samantha Ruth Prabhu, was originally slated to release Sep 27.

"As a Dussehra gift, we are releasing the film ('Ramayya Vasthavayya') on Oct 10. It is going to be a treat for Junior NTR's fans who have been patiently waiting for the film," Dil Raju, producer of the film, told IANS.

'Attarintiki Daaredhi' directed by Trivikram was supposed to release Aug 9 but the release was postponed due to the ongoing political agitation in the state.

"After a delay, 'Attarintiki Daaredhi' will finally hit the screens on Oct 9. We are confident of the film's success and the wait would have certainly doubled the expectations for the film," said BVSN Prasad, who has produced the movie.

Pawan Kalyan and Ram Charan's films were postponed after actor-turned-politician Chiranjeevi opposed the formation of Telangana state, carved out of Andhra Pradesh.

Since Chiranjeevi didn't back Telangana, its supporters swore not to allow the release of films featuring his family members, which include brother Pawan Kalyan and son Ram Charan.

"We are hoping everything will settle down by Dussehra. These last two months have been very critical for everybody in the state, let alone filmmakers. We can't be waiting forever now, can we? The industry and producers have already incurred huge losses," said N.V. Prasad, president, AP Film Chamber of Commerce.

"Post the release of these two films, we will know for sure if other films can follow or not. Till then, we have to wait," he added.

Post the two films, Ram Charan Teja-starrer 'Yevadu', which was originally scheduled to release July 31, is now in the pipeline for release.