In recent years, the landscape of heroes in Tollywood has seen a shift. As the Telugu film industry expands its reach to a pan-India audience, leading stars are making their mark in unique ways. These heroes are categorized into Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 lists based on their market craze.
Tier 1 consists of top stars like Mahesh Babu, Pawan Kalyan, and Prabhas, whose films consistently rake in over 150 crores at the box office. Tier 2 includes actors like Ravi Teja and Nani, whose films typically earn between 30 to 50 crores. Meanwhile, Tier 3 comprises heroes with a smaller market share and lower box office collections.
Notably, actors like Nani and Vijay Devarakonda have worked their way up from Tier 2 through sheer hard work and dedication. Nani, in particular, has been enjoying steady success with his films consistently crossing the 50 crore mark. With promising projects like Saripoda Sanivaram and a pan-India film in the pipeline, Nani’s market range is expected to soar.
On the other hand, Vijay Devarakonda, despite initial successes with Arjun Reddy and Geeta Govindam, has faced setbacks with consecutive flops. However, with ambitious projects like VD12 and VD14, along with a mass action film in the works, Vijay has the potential to reclaim his Tier 1 status if these films strike gold at the box office.
Trade analysts suggest that while both Nani and Vijay have the potential to ascend to Tier 1, Nani currently holds the edge due to his consistent performance at the box office and strong social media presence. Despite Vijay’s initial surge in popularity, his recent string of failures has dented his market value, making Nani the frontrunner for Tier 1 status.
