Are youngsters taking over Tollywood?

The landscape of Tollywood seems to be witnessing a shift, with the success of content-driven films spearheaded by young talent. While established stars like Nagarjuna, Venkatesh, Mahesh Babu, Gopichand and Ravi Teja experienced setbacks in the first quarter of 2024, the rise of young actors like Vishwak Sen, Teja Sajja, Siddhu Jonnalagadda, Sree Vishnu and Suhas Mallikarjun has been prominent.

Films such as Gaami, Tillu Square, Om Bheem Bush, Ambajipeta Marriage Band and Hanu-man, headlined by young actors, have won acclaim for their fresh narratives and compelling performances, marking a notable departure from reliance on star-driven vehicles and emphasising the importance of engaging storytelling and relatable characters.

In short, while established stars continue to hold sway, recent content-driven releases led by young actors have tasted success. With audiences embracing diverse storytelling, this signals a promising future for Telugu cinema, where talent and content reign supreme.

Critic’s take

You cannot write off any actor based on one flop. And no actor in India can claim to have a hundred percent track record, whether they are from Bollywood, or Tamil, Telugu or Malayalam. No one can say ‘I have never had a single flop or a single average film.’ Hits and flops are part and parcel of this industry and everyone’s career.” — Taran Adarsh, film critic

What worked for Vishwak Sen and Siddhu Jonnalagadda

Vishwak Sen said, “The journey with Gaami was one of passion and dedication, to deliver something new to Telugu cinema. It is fine if you don’t support the film, but don’t find ways to kill it. I will keep doing content films and still make it commercial.” Siddhu Jonnalagadda attributed the success of Tillu Square to honesty in writing, coupled with Tillu’s vulnerability.

Director’s perspective

According to director Prashant Varma, “Stars always make sure the producer will recover a major portion of the budget through non-theatrical and theatrical business, irrespective of the content, if the film is shot within the star’s market. But, for the film to collect a lot of money, you definitely need good content with or without the star. In Hanu-Man, I chose a youngster because the story demanded an underdog.”