Who is the most influential person in the Telugu film industry (TFI) today?
Who must producers, directors, or even leading actors approach to gain support from the Andhra Pradesh government? The answer is none other than Trivikram Srinivas.
Sources suggest that former Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu granted full authority to Pawan Kalyan, the deputy Chief Minister, to handle matters related to the film industry with complete autonomy. In turn, Pawan Kalyan entrusted Trivikram to manage these affairs on his behalf.
Although there is no official documentation, this arrangement reportedly works through mutual trust, respect, and understanding of each other’s abilities and interests.
It is said that even Ashwini Dutt, a close ally of Chandrababu Naidu, had to approach Trivikram via Pawan Kalyan to negotiate ticket price hikes for his film Kalki.
Currently, no one can bypass Trivikram to directly reach Pawan Kalyan. If anyone approaches Pawan, he simply redirects them to Trivikram.
A case in point is the upcoming film Pushpa 2: The Rule, produced by Mythri Movie Makers, who are not on good terms with Trivikram.
They need permissions for ticket price hikes from the Andhra Pradesh government, but their only route is through Trivikram.
Complicating matters, Allu Arjun’s next project is with Trivikram, but his relationship with Pawan Kalyan is strained. This situation presents a potential challenge, and it remains to be seen how Trivikram will handle these dynamics.
Interestingly, many speculate that Trivikram may play a key role in reconciling Pawan Kalyan and Allu Arjun officially, before the release of 'Pushpa 2- The Rule' itself.