Earlier this month, Tollywood was in a state of fear and uncertainty. On the day 'Thimmarusu' and 'ISHQ' hit the screens on July 30, there were apprehensions that the third wave was so near. Even several experts were saying at time that the third wave will arrive in August itself. In the first week of August, the R-value of Covid-19 infections in India was above 1. This was a danger sign. As the cases kept on increasing in Kerala, several producers and distributors here were preparing for the worst.

In the past week or so, things have changed a lot. After 'SR Kalyanamandapam' received an encouraging response, 'Paagal' was released on short notice. It was out in theatres on August 14, on a Saturday. Amidst all this, fortunately, the R-value has come down below 1 (national average). This is really a great piece of news!

Even before the release of 'Paagal', several films confirmed their release dates. From 'Sridevi Soda Center', 'Ichata Vaahanamulu Niluparadu' to September releases such as 'Love Story', 'Seetimaarr' and 'Gully Rowdy', we have seen a number of updates flowing in. Even October release plans are being firmed up, with 'Republic' releasing on October 1.

What has not changed is that big-ticket films like 'Acharya' and 'Akhanda' are yet to confirm their dates. If the situation keeps improving on the Covid-19 front, perhaps, they will take a call soon depending on what distributors tell them about the interest of audience in movies.