Rana Daggubati says India’s low screen count is triggered by rising real estate cost

Actor Rana Daggubati, who is known for ‘Arrambam’, ‘Baahubali: The Beginning’, ‘Baby’, ‘Housefull 4’ and others, has shared his insights on the Indian entertainment industry’s eternal problem of a diminishing screen count.Rana spoke with IANS ahead of the release of ‘All We Imagine as Light’ which won the Grand Prix at the 77th Cannes Film Festival.

Rana, who is presenting the film to the audience across the country, told IANS, “India is definitely very very underscreened. In terms of the number of screens it has, 14, 000 is a very large number. India has only about 6000-8000 working screens, the rest are all diminishing in many ways. Out of which, a large part of it is in Andhra and Telangana, the areas that I live in.

He further mentioned, “But no, we just feel like it can be much more. Screens for different kinds of people, and the number of people that are around”.

He then pointed toward the axel that drives the problem of screen count: India’s real estate market.

The actor told IANS, “It would solve that problem but India’s real estate is not as cheap as the rest of the world. We have less land, and many people unlike the USA or China which have much more land mass than us. We can build many more things. So that would change. But it’s like a chicken and egg. Look at the cinemas now. Every festival we are over full”.

“And we feel like there is no space for new films. But the rest of the year as exhibitors. We just sit idle because there is no film. It’s that trick that we are falling in, I just feel like. Unless exhibitors also know that there is more cinema that they can play, different types of audience that they can reach out to, different types of marketing techniques, that they can start exploring”, he added.

‘All We Imagine as Light’ is set to arrive in cinemas in India on November 22.

Samantha Tops Trends Again, Surpassing All Celebrities!

Samantha Ruth Prabhu’s presence in the entertainment world is like an unstoppable wave-consistently powerful, always making a splash, and impossible to ignore. The actress has once again topped the IMDb list of popular Indian celebrities, leaving behind a sea of stars and proving that her charm and talent remain unmatched. Despite a selective approach to film releases, Samantha’s name continues to dominate headlines, further solidifying her place in the hearts of fans and industry insiders alike.

This year, Samantha has once again surged ahead of some of the biggest names in Indian cinema. On the latest IMDb rankings, she claimed the top spot, surpassing Disha Patani (2nd), Suriya (12th), Rajinikanth (16th), Prabhas (18th), Karthi (38th), and Tovino Thomas (43rd). The list, powered by IMDb’s “Popular Indian Celebrities” feature, reflects the global trendiness of stars, determined by the millions of fans who actively engage with content each month. And let’s be clear-when it comes to stardom, Samantha doesn’t just shine, she *glows*.

This achievement only adds to Samantha’s growing influence, especially following the release of her latest OTT series, *Citadel: Honey Bunny*, on Amazon. The show has been met with critical acclaim, cementing her status as a versatile and in-demand actress. Whether it’s her movie roles or her digital presence, Samantha continues to captivate audiences across multiple platforms, leaving a trail of admiration in her wake.

In a world where the trends are constantly shifting, Samantha is the rare gem that continues to shine. If you haven’t checked out her latest series yet, don’t worry—she’s already trending again, and it’s clear that nothing can slow down her rise. Who knew you could top the charts while sipping coffee and enjoying a casual day? Samantha proves that greatness truly comes naturally!