The Telugu market for superstar Rajinikanth appears to have declined, as there are currently no takers for the Telugu dubbing rights of his upcoming movie 'Jailer.'
According to a distributor, the makers are demanding over Rs 11 crores for the rights, but Telugu distributors are unwilling to pay that price. This hesitation stems from Rajinikanth's recent flops such as 'Darbar' and 'Peta.'
The distributor acknowledges that Rajinikanth previously had a significant market in the two Telugu states, as evidenced by blockbusters like 'Robo,' 'Chandramukhi,' and 'Arunachalam.'
He notes that Rajinikanth's dubbing rights rates increased from a mere Rs 25 lakhs for 'Chandramukhi' to Rs 22 crores for 'Robo.' However, the ratings started to decline following disappointments like 'Kala' and 'Kabali,' causing distributors to reconsider purchasing his films.
While the Telugu audience appreciates Rajinikanth's style and unique mannerisms, the distributor emphasizes the importance of finding the right script.
With the market downturn, Telugu distributors may only be willing to purchase the dubbing rights of 'Jailer' for Rs 5 to 6 crores.
Consequently, the Tamil producers will need to revise their price, as it could become challenging to release the movie in the two Telugu states, concludes the distributor.
