Nagarjuna says Nizam start. Figures later
At a pre-release event for Pallaburusu, the Annapurna Studios chief said the banner has begun distributing in Nizam and wants to “restore the old system”. No numbers yet; a formal slate isn’t public.
Annapurna Studios has announced a Nizam distribution push, but its figures are yet to be published.
Nagarjuna Akkineni said Annapurna Studios has expanded into distribution, beginning with the Nizam territory, and called it “going successfully” — without disclosing what success means in screens, share or rupees. He made the remarks at a Hyderabad preview-theatre event for Pallaburusu, an Annapurna–EPIC Studios film slated for August 14. According to the report that carried his comments, he framed the move as producer-first: the producer invests first and gets paid last.
The “old distribution system” he wants to restore was not defined — whether that means producer-led territory deals, a different revenue split, or direct theatre ties. What is on record: an earlier studio statement referred to Annapurna Studios Distribution and said it would follow Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce guidelines, and recent reports list Telugu releases of non-Telugu films handled by Annapurna this year.
Nagarjuna also pitched a slate of smaller films and new-talent launches, inviting storytellers to walk in to Annapurna. That’s an open door, not a published programme with budgets or a pipeline. He linked Pallaburusu’s Telangana rural backdrop to a visit last year by Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka, saying the request for Telangana-set stories nudged the project. The studio’s website does not list a Nizam distribution slate or performance data. When those arrive with numbers attached, that’s when the “success” claim stops being a promise and starts being a record.