Stars who did not sparkle in Tollywood. Mahesh Babu, despite his commitment, faced setbacks due to date issues surrounding his film Guntur Kaaram, experiencing multiple postponements. Allu Arjun's Pushpa The Rule was delayed to August 2024 to ensure the sequel matched the high standards set by its predecessor, especially after Allu Arjun's national Best Actor award win. Ram Charan's film, Game Changer, faced shooting interruptions, while Jr NTR's Devara was delayed due to script refinement and complications from the director's previous project.
In contrast, Balakrishna had a stellar year with blockbusters Veerasimha Reddy and Bhagavant Kesari grossing over Rs 100 crore each. Nani continued his success streak with Dasara and Hi Nanna, solidifying his position in the industry. Venu Yeldandi's directorial debut, Balagam, proved to be a blockbuster, and Krishna Vamsi's comeback film, Ranga Maarthaanda, received acclaim for its honest writing. Sai Dharam Tej's Virupaksha became his first Rs 100 crore grosser post a major accident last year.
Emerging talent Sreeleela featured in four releases, with Bhagavanth Kesari performing well at the box office. Kartikeya made a strong comeback with Bedurulanka 2012, while Vijay Deverakonda rebounded with the success of Kushi following the disappointment of Liger. Anushka Shetty found success with Miss Shetty Mr Polishetty, breaking a streak of recent films that didn't fare well. Payal Rajput, after the blockbuster RX 100, made a significant comeback with Mangalavaram. Director Harish reflects on the challenges in meeting the evolving demands of the audience in the era of OTT platforms.