GHMC's Shock to Nagarjuna and Suresh Babu: What Exactly Happened?

In a significant move that has sent ripples through Hyderabad's film industry, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has issued major notices to two of Tollywood’s biggest powerhouses: Annapurna Studios Private Limited (associated with actor-producer Nagarjuna Akkineni) and Suresh Productions Private Limited (run by veteran producer-actor Suresh Babu).

The issue concerns massive discrepancies in declared plinth areas and the trade licence fees that follow.

Annapurna Studios had been paying an annual licence fee of just Rs.49,032 based on a declared plinth area of 8,172 sq ft. GHMC’s assessment, however, found the actual area to be around 1,92,066 sq ft, prompting a revised fee demand of approximately Rs.11,52,396.

On the other hand, Suresh Productions had paid only Rs.7,614 annually, citing a declared area of 1,903 sq ft. GHMC’s estimate revealed a real area of about 68,276 sq ft, leading to a notice demanding Rs.2,73,104 in licence fees.

The GHMC’s notices are part of a broader exercise to reassess trade licence fees across commercial establishments in the city. Both studios are now expected to review the revised calculations and respond to the corporation’s assessment. For now, the matter remains an administrative process, and further action will depend on the studios’ clarifications and GHMC’s follow-up review.