The Telugu film industry has always evolved with time but the pace of change in recent years has been unprecedented.
Especially after the COVID-19 lockdowns, Tollywood has witnessed a dramatic shift in audience behavior, content preferences and marketing strategies.
Earlier, a catchy song or a popular teaser could guarantee a strong opening for a film.
During the lockdown period, for instance, songs from Uppena and 30 Rojullo Preminchadam Ela created massive anticipation even before the films hit theaters.
Because audience continuoulsy played those songs as the production of new songs and films were halt at that time.
However, in today’s content-saturated digital age, that approach no longer works.
With the audience exposed to endless content on OTT platforms and social media, attention spans have shortened drastically. Viewers now seek originality and freshness in storytelling rather than formulaic repetition.
The success of Krack in 2021 with its engaging Vetapalem gang fight sequence and Shruti Haasan’s dynamic role proved that unique elements could strike a chord.
Yet attempts to replicate that style like Mass Jathara which borrowed similar tropes with a family of four killing cops with a lizard and Rajendra Prasad character surprise reveal towards the end, but failed to connect emotionally show that audiences are no longer drawn to recycled formulas.
Similarly, films like Mithra Mandali which tried to imitate the comic energy of Jathi Ratnalu ended up missing the mark completely.
Even if any projects are inspired by recent hits such as Little Hearts risk falling flat if they rely on imitation instead of innovation.
Today’s Telugu audience demands stories that surprise them with concepts that feel new, daring and emotionally rich.
Only genres like devotional and horror films seem slightly shielded from this trend but even they must now be presented with high emotional intensity and cinematic innovation to succeed, not falling into the stereotype.
Ultimately, Tollywood is standing at a turning point. The era of safe formulas and predictable entertainment is fading fast.
Those who dare to think differently creating bold, original and emotionally resonant cinema will thrive. Those who cling to repetition may soon be left behind in a rapidly transforming industry.
Usha Chowdhary
