Exhibition War Escalates: Mythri Takes On Theatre Chains Over Revenue Sharing

The simmering tensions between producers and exhibitors have finally boiled over into open warfare, with Mythri Movie Makers drawing battle lines against the theatre establishment. The immediate casualty is Jetlee, which limped into cinemas today with a severely compromised release after Asian Cinemas and SVC theatres pulled the plug on screenings.

At the heart of this standoff lies the contentious 60-50-40 percentage revenue sharing formula that major exhibition chains are now demanding for all releases post-April 30th. While Dil Raju and his Asian Group have thrown their weight behind this percentage-only model, Mythri is holding firm, preferring a hybrid system that combines fixed rent with revenue sharing. It's a philosophical battle about who controls the economics of film exhibition.

The collateral damage is stark. Jetlee has been shut out of premium multiplexes including AMB, AAA, and all SVC properties across Telangana. The film is running on barely 20-odd single screens, none of them in Hyderabad's crucial urban market. For any Telugu film, losing Hyderabad is like fighting with one hand tied behind your back.

But this skirmish is merely a dress rehearsal for the main event. Ram Charan's Peddi, releasing June 4th with Mythri holding Nizam rights after a massive investment, represents the real test of strength. Industry insiders suggest Mythri is banking on their leverage: no exhibitor wants to miss out on a guaranteed blockbuster, especially with the current market conditions.

The politics here run deeper than just business. Mythri's camp believes Dil Raju and Suniel Narang won't dare take on the Mega family directly, while exhibitors are testing whether they can force the industry's biggest production house to bend the knee. Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan's previous intervention when similar threats emerged around Hari Hara Veeramallu adds another political dimension to this commercial dispute.

What's fascinating is how this mirrors the broader power struggle reshaping Telugu cinema's distribution landscape. With streaming revenues changing the game and pan-India aspirations raising stakes, the old gentlemen's agreements are crumbling. Mythri's defiance could either break the exhibition cartel's grip or backfire spectacularly if other producers don't follow suit.