Halfway into 2024—we’re still looking at poor footfalls, fewer films from mainstream stars, and increasing reliance on re-releases and dubbed films to sustain Telugu films.
While Guntur Kaaram was a significant revenue generator, it wasn’t exactly the solid festive blockbuster that crowds expected from an established director.
Ravi Teja’s script selection woes came to the fore, yet again, with the February release, Eagle, an uninspiring take on the gun culture, which neither had style nor substance.
The theatrical success of the indie mystical adventure Gaami, bringing together Vishwak Sen, Chandini Chowdary, and first-time director, Vidyadhar Kagita, proved to be a ray of hope.
All eyes are, undoubtedly, on the dystopian sci-fi tale, Kalki 2898 AD (starring Prabhas, Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Haasan, and Deepika Padukone) to deliver the goods.
There’s big money riding on the high-profile releases—Jr NTR’s Devara, director Shankar-Ram Charan’s Game Changer, and Pushpa: The Rule—that should go a long way.