Top 10 highest grossing movies in AP/TS: Prabhas starrer Kalki 2898 AD at 3rd spot, beats Baahubali 2 in Nizam

Prabhas starrer science-fiction epic, Kalki 2898 AD, has become the third highest grossing film of all time in the Telugu states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. After the second weekend, the film has earned Rs 231 crore in these two states, coming in third behind Prabhas’ own film Salaar. The two films ahead of it are RRR directed by our SS Rajamouli and Baahubali: The Conclusion.

In Telangana, Kalki 2898 AD has gone a step further and has even surpassed the previously unstoppable Baahubali 2, earning Rs 115.50 crore in just eleven days, making it the second-highest grosser of all time, trailing only Rs 165 crore of RRR. The film could have done better in Andhra Pradesh, where it is currently half of RRR, though the genre has made it difficult in smaller centres in the state where it had a low opening but picked up later.

Andhra Pradesh has seen a drop in box office collections in the last few years as the government heavily regulated ticket prices, but the regime change last month has put a stop to this and we will once again see record numbers of ticket buyers. However, due to the increased prices, there will probably be a drop in the number of viewers, as seen in Telangana.

The Telugu states have one of the best cinema-going cultures in India, if not the best, and a big reason for this is that it has remained affordable for those who pay. As recently as 2017, the average ticket price in Telangana was just Rs 75, while it was almost double in the rest of the country. Today, prices have tripled, but gross revenues have only increased by 50 per cent or so, meaning a major drop in footfalls. In the long run, these prices are detrimental to business and the industry needs to see it that way.

The highest-grossing films at the AP/TS box office are: