On an average 150 – 180 Telugu movies are released every year. In 2005, 700 millions plus tickets were sold on an average at the box office all over Andhra Pradesh.

For a population of about 90 million people in the entire state, the combined circulation of all newspapers put together in Andhra Pradesh is 5 million and the highest viewer-ship of one television channel is about 10 million, where as the reach of moviegoers comparatively is staggering to almost about 55 million!

A case study of 2006’s biggest hit Telugu film ‘Pokiri’ revels that the film sold over 22 million tickets all over the state and still counting even after 25 weeks run. For a town like Nirmal in Adilabad District, which is relatively well developed with a population of 75 thousands as per 2001 census, the satellite and neighboring villages contribute another 75 thousands, a approximate total of about 150 thousands population, ‘Pokiri’ sold 110 thousand tickets, in a single theatre in 65 days run! Which means 75% of the entire area population actually visited a theatre and watched a film! If we compare these figures to an average television reach of 16% (a mean figure between the state average of 22.5% and the rural average of 10%) or the 5% average circulation of all newspapers put together, the reach of cinema is staggering at 75% of the entire area population.

Similarly a district head quarter like Khammam, having a population of about 350 thousands, sold over 275 thousand for ‘Pokiri’. Which is again 75% plus of the entire area population. Even in cities like Hyderabad which has an approximate population of 6 million, ‘Pokiri’ had an aggregate sale of over 4 million tickets in its 100 day run in 17 theatres. This is again about 67% plus of the entire city population.

The average occupancy of any theatre in any centre across the state is as high as 45%-50%, the highest in the country. In 2006 the box office gross of Telugu cinema is expected to do 120 million Indian rupees.