Following a lacklustre performance in 2023, characterized by more failures than successes, Tollywood appears to have made a significant comeback in 2024. This year not only witnessed a Telugu film achieving the status of the highest-grosser, but it also marked the first instance of two films surpassing ₹1000 crore in gross revenue being released within a few months of one another.

Reflecting on a bleak 2023.

The year 2023 commenced with notable releases such as Waltair Veerayya, featuring Chiranjeevi, and Veera Simha Reddy, starring Balakrishna. However, these films did not achieve the same level of critical acclaim as others, including Dasara with Nani, Virupaksha featuring Sai Durgha Tej, and Baby starring Anand Deverakonda.

As the year progressed, Prabhas's Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire emerged as a significant success, concluding the year on a high note by surpassing ₹600 crore in earnings, thus becoming the highest-grossing film in the Telugu cinema landscape for the year. Nevertheless, Hindi films such as Jawan, Pathaan, Animal, and Gadar 2 outperformed expectations, overshadowing what the Telugu film industry had anticipated would be a blockbuster year.

Tollywood makes a remarkable comeback.

As 2024 commenced, the Teja Sajja-led film Hanuman set a remarkable precedent by grossing over ₹300 crore globally, all while being produced on a budget of less than ₹40 crore. This success signalled a vibrant period for Tollywood, overshadowing other releases such as Mahesh Babu's Guntur Kaaram, Venkatesh's Saindhav, and Nagarjuna's Naa Saami Ranga.

The year continued to yield successful films, despite a few setbacks. In March, Siddhu Jonnalagadda's Tillu Square emerged shortly after, achieving box office earnings nearly equivalent to those of Guntur Kaaram, despite its modest budget.

As the second quarter approached, expectations seemed low, yet Prabhas's Kalki 2898 AD surprised audiences in June, delivering results that Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire had failed to achieve. The ongoing debate among fans regarding which film is superior persists, particularly as the sci-fi feature amassed over ₹1042 crore globally. Remarkably, Kalki 2898 AD maintained its position as the highest-grossing film of the year across all languages, resisting challenges from major releases such as Singham Again, The Greatest of All Time, and Devara: Part 1.

The subsequent quarter saw Tollywood maintain its momentum with films like Nani's Saripodhaa Sanivaaram, Nivetha Thomas's 35, and Sima Koduri's Mathu Vadalara, which kept audiences engaged until the release of Jr NTR's Devara: Part 1 at the end of September. Anticipation was high for this film, which was described by Kalyanram as the Telugu equivalent of Game of Thrones. It ultimately grossed over ₹421 crore, ranking as the third highest-grossing Telugu film of the year and the seventh in India, although mixed reviews tempered enthusiasm.

In the final quarter, the mood improved with Kiran Abbavaram's KA and Dulquer Salmaan's Lucky Baskhar joining the ranks of the year's top films, achieving box office totals of ₹53 crore and ₹106 crore, respectively.

The phenomenon of Pushpa 2: The Rule.

Allu Arjun's film Pushpa 2: The Rule was released in early December, embodying the 'tagged le' (I won’t back down) spirit of its protagonist. The paid premieres on December 4 received positive reviews; however, they were marred by a tragic incident involving the death of a woman and the hospitalization of her young son due to a stampede at Sandhya Theatre.

Despite this, the film achieved remarkable success at the box office, grossing over ₹1500 crore to date, making it the highest-grossing Hindi, Telugu, and Indian film of the year. It ranks third overall, following Dangal (₹2070 crore) and Baahubali 2: The Conclusion (₹1788 crore). Nevertheless, the lead actor faced legal issues, being arrested in connection with the fan death case, although he was subsequently released on interim bail.

Despite the challenges faced off-screen, Pushpa 2: The Rule has achieved remarkable success, becoming the second Telugu film to surpass ₹1000 crore in earnings, following only Baahubali 2, RRR (₹1230 crore), and Kalki 2898 AD. A report from BookMyShow indicates that it is also the most-viewed film of the year. With no immediate competition in the Telugu film industry until the release of Ram Charan's Game Changer in January 2025, it is reasonable to conclude that Pushpa 2: The Rule is likely to maintain its leading position for the foreseeable future.

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