Director SS Rajamouli has revolutionized Telugu cinema with colossal blockbusters like “Baahubali 2” and “RRR,” both earning over Rs 1000 crores. He opened up new markets for the industry, yet others have struggled to match his success.
While films like “Saaho” and “Pushpa 2” did well in the pan-Indian space, they couldn’t reach the Rs 500 crore mark. It’s been six years since “Baahubali 2,” and the Telugu film market has grown in other languages, but few have fully capitalized on this.
Many top Telugu directors have not made significant strides in pan-Indian cinema. Sukumar’s “Pushpa” made some progress, but even he was surprised by its reach. Director Trivikram, on the other hand, hasn’t explored the pan-Indian market.
Interestingly, directors from other languages like Prashanth Neel and Atlee have been more successful in leveraging pan-Indian prospects. While Rajamouli leads the way, Tollywood, as an industry, has room to grow in this aspect.