In recent years, Tollywood has delivered several memorable hits during the Christmas season, such as Akhanda, Shyam Singha Roy, Pushpa: The Rise, Dhamaka, and Salaar: Part 1-Ceasefire. These films, led by prominent Telugu actors, capitalised on the holiday season to achieve significant success at the box office.
This year, however, the holiday season looks lackluster for Telugu cinema. With Pushpa 2: The Rule continuing its box-office dominance, several big-budget films, including Game Changer, Thandel, Robinhood, and Kannappa, have postponed their releases to 2025.
The Christmas lineup now features smaller films like Srikakulam Sherlockholmes, Drinker Sai, and Telugu-dubbed versions of Mohanlal’s Barroz 3D and Kichcha Sudeep’s MAX. Unfortunately, these releases lack the hype needed to draw large audiences.
Additionally, the Hindi film Baby John is releasing tomorrow, and its bookings are shockingly poor in Telugu states. This quiet holiday season raises the question of whether any of these films can surprise and entertain viewers.