Ravi Teja and Rana for a cause.Tollywood Embraces Content-Driven Cinema: A Shift Towards Quality Storytelling.
The Tollywood film industry is witnessing a welcome shift towards content-driven cinema, with seasoned stars like Ravi Teja and Rana Daggubati championing thematic films. This move signifies a growing appreciation for compelling narratives over star power alone.
Ravi Teja's recent support for "Changu Re Bangaru Raja" and "Sundaram Master," coupled with Rana Daggubati's backing of the upcoming film "35 Chinna Kada Kaadu," starring Nivedha Thomas and Priyadarshi, signals a positive change in the industry.
"It is good that popular stars are promoting content-based movies since it helps the films to garner mileage and more visibility," says producer Lagadapati Sridhar, a firm believer in the "content is king" adage. "I also made a few story-driven movies and tasted success because only good content will attract viewers and raise the bar on Telugu cinema," he adds.
The recent success of small but impactful films like "Committee Kurrollu" and "Aay" demonstrates that Telugu audiences are seeking refreshing themes and engaging narratives. "Probably they are bored with mindless action films, since even a superstar film demands a unique story, rather than cliched themes," Sridhar observes.
He emphasizes the legacy of great Telugu directors like K Viswanath and Bapu, who prioritized stories over star power. "Films like 'Sirisirimoova' and 'Sankarabaranam' by K Vishwanath garu, while Bapu tasted success with family dramas like 'Muthyala Muggu' and 'Mister Pellam' proved that Telugu audiences love such movies, if they are served well," he points out.
Sridhar believes that for Telugu cinema to achieve global recognition, like Malayalam cinema, it needs to invest in compelling stories and support young talent. "Thematic films will rock the digital space worldwide since digital audiences are tasteful and intelligent and they grab novelty from any language," he concludes.
This shift towards content-driven cinema not only promises a resurgence of quality filmmaking in Tollywood but also signals a promising future for the industry, with audiences embracing storytelling that resonates on a deeper level.