Tollywood box office bleeds this summer

This summer has brought unexpected disappointment for Tollywood. Producers hoped for a blockbuster season, but things didn’t go as planned. March gave a glimpse of success with movies like Court and Mad Square, but April turned out to be a major setback. Big hero films were missing, and theaters remained largely empty.

Movies like Jack and Good Bad Ugly failed to draw crowds. Even Ajith’s film performed well only in Tamil; the Telugu version didn’t create much interest. Anchor Pradeep’s debut film Akkada Ammayi Ikkada Abbayi also lacked buzz and failed to impress audiences.

Adding to the film industry’s struggle is the harsh summer heat. Students and workers are finding it difficult to step outside. Business owners too are seeing a drop in footfalls. On top of that, IPL matches have taken over the audience’s attention. Social media is filled with match updates and memes, leaving films ignored.

This combination of factors has deeply affected cinema halls. Exhibitors are now desperately hoping for a hit. The absence of big pan-India films like Hari Hara Veera Mallu, Ghati, and Kannappa, which were expected to release in March and April, added to the problem.

All eyes are now on two upcoming films — Odela 2 and Arjun Son of Vyjayanthi. Their teams are trying to create hype with aggressive promotions. If word of mouth turns out to be positive, they might revive some excitement among audiences.

However, it’s uncertain whether these movies can pull people away from cricket fever and bring them into air-conditioned theaters during this scorching heat. For now, Tollywood can only hope these releases bring some relief to a bleeding box office.