Stars realising emotions, not stunts key to success

Of late, most of the stars are coming up with powerful emotional stories and many are of the impression that stars are realising that emotions and not stunts are key to success.

Kona Venkat says “Crying is also an emotion, and today's stars are displaying their feelings without any hesitation. It is a welcome change,”

He explains “The audience feels that the hero is just like them, and that relatability is paying rich dividends,”

He pointed out “Once the audience connects with a character's emotions, their involvement in the story increases significantly. Nowadays, viewers often browse their phones during routine action sequences, but they become fully engaged when a hero behaves like a common man, experiences vulnerabilities and struggles, and then overcomes them. Gen Z audiences, in particular, are more emotional and accepting of heroes who are realistic and fragile,”

A source shares "Recent Telugu films provide several examples of this shift. Jr NTR showcased intense emotions in Devara, while Allu Arjun portrayed the pain of growing up without a father figure in Pushpa. Ram Charan's role as a rural sportsman in Peddi has also struck an emotional chord with viewers. Similarly, Naga Chaitanya earned appreciation for his tragic and emotionally layered performance in Thandel."

Kona Venkat added “If heroism is about beating up 100 people, then making 100 audience members empathize with the hero is also a form of heroism,” He continued “That doesn't mean every film should include crying scenes. The emotion must emerge organically from the story. Content-driven films are giving Telugu heroes the opportunity to balance mass appeal with performance-oriented roles and connect with audiences across the world.”

He shared "Legendary actors N.T. Rama Rao and Akkineni Nageswara Rao frequently delivered powerful emotional scenes, often with tears in their eyes. However, many heroes in later decades avoided such portrayals due to the belief that men crying on screen diminished their heroic image."

He added “With audiences becoming more mature and stars increasingly portraying relatable, boy-next-door characters, Telugu cinema is exploring realistic themes rather than relying solely on larger-than-life action,”

About the logic Big Boys Don't Cry, he says “I don't agree with that saying at all. Emotions are not gender-specific. A boy and a girl will react similarly to the loss of a parent or a loved one. The idea that men should not cry is simply a myth,”