Telugu Actresses’ Flop Show In Kollywood Raises Questions

Several young Telugu actresses who attempted to establish themselves in Tamil cinema have faced setbacks, with their debut projects failing to make an impact at the box office. Actress Sreeleela, who pinned high hopes on her maiden Tamil film Parasakthi, was left disappointed after the film crashed commercially. Similarly, Krithi Shetty’s Tamil outing Vaa Vathiyaar failed to click with audiences in Tamil Nadu.

“Surely, these young actresses would be disappointed, but their careers have not come to an end,” says director Hemanth Madhukar. He points out that the tastes of Telugu and Tamil audiences are very different. “Sreeleela built her career in Tollywood with her good looks and light-hearted roles. However, Tamil audiences expect intense performances from actresses. Dancing skills are only an added advantage there,” he explains.

Krithi Shetty, who worked alongside Telugu stars like Naga Chaitanya and Ram Pothineni, could not sustain her success in Tollywood. “Realising that her career had stagnated in Telugu cinema, Krithi shifted focus to Tamil films, but that move has now hit a roadblock,” Hemanth observes.

In contrast, Rashmika Mandanna’s journey has been different. She tasted success in Kollywood and later expanded her reach to Bollywood as well. “Rashmika retained her brand by choosing varied themes and expanding her fan base. She played a lover in Animal and took on a bold role as a vampire in Bhediya, which helped her maintain strong market value,” he adds.

Other actresses like Pooja Hegde and Keerthy Suresh, who made significant waves in Tollywood, also attempted to conquer Kollywood but with limited success. Despite delivering a blockbuster performance in the Telugu biopic Mahanati, Keerthy Suresh could not recreate the same magic in Tamil solo-heroine films such as Kizhinda Kagitham and Revolver Rita. Similarly, Pooja Hegde, who enjoyed major Telugu hits like Aravinda Sametha, Maharshi, and Ala Vaikuntapuramulo, faced setbacks in Tamil cinema with films like Retro.

“I think some actresses believe they delivered hits entirely on their own, without realizing they were part of well-made films that worked collectively. Others moved away from Tollywood after offers dried up,” Hemanth points out. He also cites the example of Sai Pallavi, who nicely balanced her career in two languages. 'She is known for intense and emotional performances and has been very selective, which is keeping her flag flying,' he adds.

Producer M S Raju adds that the shelf life of actresses in Tollywood has shortened due to big stars frequently seeking new heroines every three to four years. “Actresses must reinvent themselves and explore films in other languages. Many Telugu stars prefer not to repeat heroines and constantly look for fresh faces. In today’s industry, becoming multilingual and breaking language barriers is essential. Limiting oneself to a single industry is no longer a safe bet,” he says.