Prithviraj Sukumaran’s Flag Flying High in Telugu
The actor’s recent box-office flops in his native Malayalam have had little bearing on his demand in Tollywood
Prithviraj Sukumaran is currently witnessing a major surge in high-profile offers from Telugu film industry. Despite his massive star stature in Kerala, his recent Malayalam films like I, Nobody have underperformed at the box office, prompting discussions regarding his film choices. The crime thriller co-starring Parvathy Thiruvothu saw daily box office dips after its July 2026 release and has since transitioned to a digital release.
Similarly, Prithviraj’s Khalifa, intended as a massive two-part saga featuring Mohanlal, failed to make a significant mark at the box office. Sarzameen in Hindi with Kajol as his co-star, also failed to yield strong box office numbers, creating a noticeable gap between his critical acclaim and commercial success on his home turf.
In sharp contrast to his box office performance in Kerala, the Telugu film industry is actively leveraging Prithviraj’s star power for tentpole films after his prominent role in Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire. In Rajamouli’s Varanasi starring Mahesh Babu and Priyanka Chopra, he plays the main antagonist Kumbha.
Following his successful portrayal of Vardharaja Mannar alongside Prabhas in Salaar, director Prashanth Neel is actively planning to renew Prithviraj’s role in the sequel. Additionally, the makers of Bloody Romeo, starring Nani and directed by Sujeeth, have roped Prithviraj in for a critical role.
