September brings a box office revival for Tollywood

Tollywood’s box office fortunes have been on a rollercoaster ride this year. The festive season began on a high note with the massive success of Sankranthi Ki Vastunnam, but the momentum quickly faded as subsequent releases struggled to strike a chord with audiences. Even the crucial summer season was underutilized, leading to heated discussions about whether audiences were drifting away from theatres.

September, however, turned out to be a game-changer. Despite the challenges posed by the industry strike and other hurdles, the month infused fresh energy into Telugu cinema, delivering unexpected blockbusters.

The surprise package of the season was Little Hearts. Made on a modest budget of just ₹2.5 crore, the film, supported by noted banners, went on to gross over ₹35 crore. Its success reaffirmed that strong content remains the biggest crowd-puller, proving audiences are ready to embrace good stories regardless of scale.

Adding to the momentum, two more films kept the box office buzzing — Teja Sajja’s superhero adventure Mirai and Bellamkonda Sai Sreenivas’ horror drama Kishkindhapuri. Both films resonated with their respective target audiences, ensuring relief for distributors and exhibitors who had been waiting for a turnaround.

Currently, the spotlight is on Pawan Kalyan’s much-hyped gangster drama OG, directed by Sujeeth. The film stormed into cinemas with impressive opening-day numbers and is expected to maintain its momentum, potentially setting new records. Fans are already celebrating its high-octane action and Pawan Kalyan’s powerful screen presence.

Looking ahead, expectations are building for upcoming releases like Kantara: Chapter 1 and Dhanush’s Idli Kottu. With September marking a significant revival, the industry hopes to continue this winning streak through the festive season.