October has proven to be a challenging month for Tollywood over the last three years, witnessing several movies unexpectedly underperforming. This trend, spanning three years, continued this year; however, "Bhagwant Kesari" brought some relief.
In the initial week of October, several movies were released with moderate expectations, including "Mad," "Mama Mashindra," "800," and "Rules Ranjan." While promotional efforts hinted at modest prospects for these films, only "Mad" managed to shine, achieving unexpected success despite its humble beginnings.
Sudheer Babu's triple role in "Mama Mashindra" failed to impress, paralleled by Kiran Abbavaram's lackluster film, "Rules Ranjan," which failed to captivate the audience's attention.
The subsequent week witnessed the release of around ten small-scale productions, none of which made a significant impact. Films like R. Narayanamurthy's 'University,' 'Sagileti Katha,' and 'Rakshasa Kavyam' failed to generate buzz and ultimately struggled to find a sustainable audience, leading to disappointing box-office results.
The true battle at the October box office occurred during the Dussehra season, pitting Balakrishna's "Bhagwant Kesari" against "Leo" and "Tiger Nageswara Rao." "Bhagwant Kesari" emerged victorious, proving to be a Dussehra triumph directed by Anil Ravipudi.
Despite high expectations, Tiger Nageswara Rao's film fell short, hindered by a sluggish second half and excessive runtime. On the other hand, "Leo," released under Sitara Entertainments, managed to capture the youth's attention, achieving moderate success without reaching blockbuster status.
Post-Dussehra, the landscape remained lackluster, with films such as "Martin Luther King" and "Lingocha" failing to leave any impression. Even the re-release of "Chhatrapati" this month failed to resonate with audiences.
Overall, out of the 27 movies released in October, only two managed to achieve success: "Bhagwant Kesari," with its initial hype, secured a hit status, while the unexpected victory was bagged by "Mad."
