MEGA HEROES: Mega Family’s Domination in Tollywood… So Many Heroes?

Once upon a time in Tollywood, names like NTR, Akkineni Nageshwara Rao, and Superstar Krishna were synonymous with the industry. However, with the arrival of Chiranjeevi, the Telugu film industry saw a significant shift. Chiru, who delivered numerous superhits, established himself as the leading hero and paved the way for the younger generation in his family. Today, Mega Heroes reign supreme in Tollywood, with a minimum of one movie from them hitting the screens every 5 to 6 months. Let’s have a glance at the Mega Heroes who are currently dominating the Tollywood scene.

Pawan Kalyan

Pawan Kalyan, Chiranjeevi’s younger brother, stepped into Tollywood and quickly gained a massive fan following. Making his debut with the movie “Akkada Ammayi Ikkada Abbayi” (1996), Pawan rose to the top with hits like Suswagatham, Tholi Prema, and Kushi. Recently, his films Vakeel Saab and Bheemla Nayak have been successful at the box office. Currently, Pawan is busy shooting for his upcoming movies, Ustaad Bhagat Singh and Harihara Veera Mallu.

Ram Charan

Ram Charan, the son of Chiranjeevi, entered the industry and has now reached pan-India stardom with the movie RRR. Charan made his debut with the film Chirutha and later consolidated his position in Tollywood with the movie Magadheera. His fame grew exponentially with the film Rangasthalam, which was further elevated by RRR. Currently, Charan is working on the movie Game Changer, directed by Shankar. After that, he has a movie lined up with Uppena director Buchi Babu.

Allu Arjun

As Chiranjeevi’s nephew and Allu Aravind’s son, Allu Arjun entered the world of cinema. With his debut movie “Gangotri,” Allu Arjun made a strong impression. Following that, films like Arya, Bunny, and Desamuduru solidified Allu Arjun’s status as a leading hero. With the release of the Sukumar-directed film Pushpa, Allu Arjun gained pan-India recognition. He currently holds the top spot among Telugu heroes with the highest number of Instagram followers. Presently, Allu Arjun is busy shooting for Pushpa 2.

Sai Dharam Tej

Chiranjeevi’s nephew, Sai Dharam Tej, also entered the industry as a Mega Hero. He captivated Telugu audiences with his 2014 film “Pilla Nuvvu Leni Jeevitham.” He then garnered superhits through movies such as Subrahmanyam for Sale, Supreme, and Chitra Lahari. Sai Dharam Tej’s latest movie, Virupaksha, is set to hit the screens on April 21st.

Varun Tej

As the son of Mega Brother Nagababu, Varun Tej made his entry into the film industry. With his debut film ‘Mukunda,’ Tej captivated everyone’s attention. His films ‘Kanche,’ ‘Antariksham,’ ‘Tholi Prema,’ and ‘Fida’ became successful at the box office. Currently, Tej is acting in VT13 and ‘Gandivdhari Arjuna’ films.  

Panja Vaishnav Tej

Panja Vaishnav Tej, another nephew of Chiranjeevi, also made his way into the industry. He achieved great success with his debut film ‘Uppena.’ His subsequent film ‘Konda Polam’ received critical acclaim as well. However, his recent film ‘Ranga Ranga Vaibhavanga’ failed to impress Telugu audiences.

Allu Sirish

As Chiranjeevi’s nephew and Allu Arjun’s younger brother, Allu Sirish stepped into the film world. Sirish, who made his debut with ‘Gouravam,’ managed to win audiences over with films like ‘Okka Kshanam,’ ‘ABCD,’ and ‘Kotha Janta.’ His film ‘Srirastu Subhamastu’ was well-received by family audiences, but his latest movie ‘Urvasivo Rakshasivo’ fell flat at the box office.

Kalyaan Dhev

Chiranjeevi’s son-in-law and Sreeja’s husband, Kalyaan Dhev, also tried his luck as a hero. With the film ‘Vijetha,’ Kalyaan Dhev made his first appearance in Telugu cinema but failed to make a mark. His subsequent films ‘Super Machi’ and ‘Kinnerasani’ also failed to captivate Telugu audiences.