Pushpa 2 in race to be among top grossers in US

Pushpa 2 in race to be among top grossers in US 

Spiralling Ticket Prices Touch $70 

Amisha.Rajani@timesofindia.com 06.12.2024

Hyderabad : Amid the tragedy back home, ‘Pushpa 2: The Rule’ made a killing with its premier shows across the US. According to some local industry sources, the collections of the Allu Arjun-starrer has already crossed the $3.9 million and secured a spot among the top 3 movies with biggest openings. The tremendous rush has, meanwhile, sent ticket prices spiralling with seats being sold for $40 (₹3,400), almost four times the usual price, in many locations, said movie buffs there. Some claimed that tickets were resold too for anywhere between $50 (₹4,250)and $70 ( ₹5,800) — rates never heard of before. “The excitement for the movie has been tough to contain. We have been waiting for this for too long,” said Rajesh Pothula, a tech professional from New Jersey.

 “Even though $40 felt like a stretch, I didn’t want to miss experiencing it on the big screen.” Others, however, were less enthused by the inflated rates. “It’s amazing how much hype the movie has generated, but $70 for a ticket? That is insane,” said Swapna Reddy, a student from California. “I had to skip the premiere because it was way beyond my budget,” she added. Anil Choudhary, an IT consultant working in Dallas had to do the same. “I understand there’s a demand, but charging $40 feels like exploiting fans,” said Anil who waited months for the movie, but gave it a miss after seeing ticket price. 

High ticket prices due to limited shows: Film distributors The film’s distributors in the US claimed that the high prices were because of limited shows. “Pushpa’s massive fan base overseas guarantees packed theatres,” said a distributor in Dallas, Texas. “Premium pricing during premieres isn’t unusual, especially for Indian blockbusters with high production costs and star power.” Despite the hefty prices, the movie drew packed audiences, with several shows running full house. “It was worth every penny,” said Ravi Kumar, who drove over two hours to watch the film in Chicago. “The energy in the theatre was electric. It felt like a festival