OG Tickets At Rs 1,000: Pawan Kalyan Misusing His Power As Deputy CM?

The Andhra Pradesh government is facing severe flak after approving a steep ticket price hike for the upcoming film They Call Him OG.

In a controversial move, the government has allowed benefit show tickets to be sold at Rs 1,000. The Pawan Kalyan starrer has been among the most anticipated films in recent years, especially after his Hari Hara Veera Mallu turned out to be a box office disaster.

In an order issued on Wednesday (September 17), the TDP alliance government announced that a 1 am benefit show will be permitted on September 25, the day of release, with tickets capped at Rs 1,000. While the government has limited screenings to a maximum of five shows per day, it has allowed a hike in single screens and multiplexes for 10 days after release. From September 25 to October 4, tickets will be priced at Rs 125 for single screens and Rs 150 for multiplexes.

The order has triggered widespread criticism. Moviegoers have condemned the decision, while the Opposition has accused Pawan Kalyan, who also serves as Deputy Chief Minister and President of the Jana Sena Party, of misusing his position to inflate ticket prices for his own film. The controversy has deepened further since Kandula Durgesh, a JSP leader, currently holds the post of Cinematography Minister.

Netizens have pointed out that governments usually slash ticket prices to encourage viewership, not hike them. Some remarked that families would prefer films like Kantara over spending exorbitantly on OG.

The criticism also extends to the government’s approval of a 1 am benefit show, recalling the chaos during the premiere of Hari Hara Veera Mallu, where frenzied fans vandalized theatres and created a law and order crisis.

With public outrage mounting, the government faces growing pressure to justify its decision, as fans eagerly await whether They Call Him OG can live up to its massive expectations or collapse under the weight of controversy.