2026: Tollywood to Dish Out Sequels to Rock the Box Office
Tollywood’s sequel looks set to dominate the box office in the coming years.
Undoubtedly, Tollywood is set to outpace Bollywood and Kollywood when it comes to delivering sequels to big-ticket entertainers. With pan-India films like HanuMan, Kalki 2898 AD, Mirai and Salaar Part 1 rocking the box office between 2024 and 2025, the stage is now set for a wave of sequels lined up for 2026. Leading Telugu production houses are keen to sustain the momentum and mint gold at the box office.
“After tasting massive success with Pushpa 2, we are planning to make Jai Hanuman, a sequel to the earlier blockbuster HanuMan, as the first part struck a chord with audiences across the world,” says producer Ravi Shankar Yellamanchili. He reveals that Kannada star Rishab Shetty has been roped in to play Lord Hanuman in the sequel. “He is immensely talented, humble and extremely professional,” the producer adds.
According to him, director Prashanth Varma has come up with another exciting socio-fantasy story, and the film will go on floors in January 2026. “We will begin work from January 1 and aim for a worldwide release to cash in on the craze,” he says.
Meanwhile, producer Swapna Dutt has hinted at the commencement of Kalki 2. “We have no other films at the moment. Our entire focus is only on the Kalki sequel, which will start very soon,” she said, without revealing further details. The epic science-fiction film starred Prabhas, Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Haasan and Vijay Deverakonda, and the sequel is expected to feature a new actress in place of Deepika Padukone.
Kalki 2898 AD impressed audiences with its unique blend of a fictional futuristic world and mythological elements such as Ashwatthama, Kurukshetra, Kashi and Shambhala. Since Part 1 ended on an incomplete note, the sequel was always on the cards.
Another surprise success was the relatively small film Mirai, which turned into a box-office winner. Starring Teja Sajja and directed by Karthik Gattamneni, the film revolved around the protection of the nine granthas(sacred books) of Emperor Ashoka and a mystical black sword wielded by Manchu Manoj who wants to usurp them. Loaded with breathtaking visuals, the socio-fantasy found strong acceptance among audiences.
“We have definite plans to make a sequel to Mirai with the same team. The genre has enough potential, and we are coming up with another exciting story,” says producer TG Vishwaprasad. “Just like we recreated the magic with Karthikeya 2, we are confident of the success of Mirai Part 2 as well and give the audience a visually pleasing and emotionally gripping sequel.”
Veteran producer Suresh Babu believes sequels are no longer just a creative choice, but a smart business move. “Sequels are here to stay. We are inspired by Hollywood franchises that have worked wonders — be it The Lord of the Rings, Indiana Jones, the Marvel series or Star Wars. If you compare originals and sequels, the latter have a stronger box-office track record,” he asserts.
Calling it a well-calculated move, he adds, “It’s a new-age business strategy. Sequels offer a minimum guarantee at the box office, especially when the first part connects with audiences. If the second installment has a strong story, it only adds to the momentum.”
With films like Pushpa, HanuMan, Kalki and Mirai paving the way, Tollywood’s sequel looks set to dominate the box office in the coming years.'
