Tollywood’s Pan-India Dream Shaken in 2025, With Only a Few Silver linings
Despite over 200 releases, only a handful of Telugu films found success in 2025, exposing weak content, a fading pan-India buzz, and changing audience behaviour, even as young heroes and strong storytelling offered hope.
The year 2025 has turned out to be largely dismal for the Telugu film industry, with flops far outnumbering hits. More than 200 films hit theatres over the past 12 months, but only a handful managed to bring profits to distributors. Films such as Sankranthiki Vasthunam, Court, Mirai, HIT 3, Little Hearts, Kuberaa, and K Ramp emerged as the few money-spinners amid an otherwise bleak year.
Producer Suresh Babu believes the notion of rising theatre footfalls is misleading. “I don’t want to go into numbers, but there is an audience for good cinema. That has been proven — from the massive success of Sankranthiki Vasthunam to smaller films like Court and Little Hearts finding their space. The idea that footfalls are rising is a myth. People are coming to theatres only for good films and rejecting bad ones,” he says. He adds that audiences today have multiple entertainment options, which has gradually reduced habitual theatre visits.
Big stars, weak legs
Several big-ticket films — Game Changer, Hari Hara Veera Mallu, Daaku Maharaj, Kannappa, and Akhanda 2 — opened to strong initial numbers but fizzled out quickly. This has sparked debate on whether top stars are losing their crowd-pulling power.
Producer M.S. Raju offers a reality check. “Big stars still bring audiences on the first day, but today even star-driven films need strong publicity and solid content. 2025 has been a lean season for Tollywood stars. Openings alone are not enough anymore,” he explains. He adds that content has become non-negotiable, even for the biggest names.
Pan-India bubble deflates
One of the biggest eye-openers of 2025 has been the poor performance of Telugu films in North India. From Game Changer to Akhanda 2, most Telugu releases failed to make a mark in the Hindi heartland.
“Yes, the pan-India dream has taken a hit,” admits M.S. Raju. “One solid film can revive the confidence of Hindi-speaking audiences, but Telugu filmmakers must focus on the right themes. Otherwise, sustaining pan-India success will be tough.”
Young heroes shine
Amid the gloom, young heroes have emerged as a bright spot. Actors like Teja Sajja, Kiran Abbavaram, and Mouli delivered hits with Mirai, K Ramp, and Little Hearts, proving that audiences are willing to back fresh faces.
Producer Bandla Ganesh is optimistic. “It’s heartening to see young heroes making waves at the box office. Kiran Abbavaram is talented, hardworking, and humble. I also advised newcomer Mouli not to get carried away by success and to climb step by step, like Chandra Mohan did,” he says.
He also praises Teja Sajja, who followed up HanuMan with Mirai, cementing his status as a bankable star.
Social media trolling: a new menace
Social media emerged as a double-edged sword in 2025. Films such as Game Changer, Hari Hara Veera Mallu, and Akhanda 2 were subjected to relentless trolling, which observers believe impacted their box-office performance.
“Fan wars are unavoidable today,” says M.S. Raju. “Trolls attack even before the first show begins. While star rivalries are hurting cinema, good films are still managing to rise above this noise and become blockbusters.”
Raju likens social media to an uncontrollable inferno.
“Once it spreads, it’s impossible to control. Lakhs of young, passionate fans wait for an opportunity to troll rival stars. Staying away from the fire is better than trying to extinguish it,” he remarks.
Mirai sets a new VFX benchmark
While films like Vishwambhara, Hari Hara Veera Mallu, and Kannappa faced criticism for subpar VFX, Mirai earned widespread appreciation for its visual quality.
Producer T.G. Vishwaprasad credits Indian talent for the achievement.
“I thank the hundreds of VFX artists from Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Mumbai. With nearly 2,000 VFX shots — barring minor imperfections — we proved Telugu cinema can deliver world-class visuals. This set a new benchmark,” he says. He also reveals plans to make an AI-based film with a young team, adding, “AI movies are going to rock the world soon.”
