In Tollywood, reaching ₹100 crore in collections was once not a common feat. If a film crossed ₹100 crore during its lifetime, it was considered a significant achievement. However, the scenario has drastically changed in recent times. Director SS Rajamouli has elevated Tollywood to a global scale, making it common for our heroes to easily rake in ₹100 crores on the opening day alone. Recently, NTR also smashed records by grossing ₹172 crores on the first day alongside the godly figures. Several star heroes and directors from Tollywood have carved their own unique markets and can effortlessly claim these numbers with a solid hit. Let’s take a look at these special figures.
Market Over ₹1000 Crores!
Director SS Rajamouli creates a global buzz with every film. His direction in ‘Baahubali 2‘ (₹1810 crores) and ‘RRR‘ (₹1300 crores) brought in over ₹1000 crores each. He is currently directing ‘SSMB 29‘ with Mahesh Babu, which is expected to hit a global stride and is projected to gross around ₹2000 crores. On the other hand, pan-India star Prabhas has created a unique market for himself regardless of directors. His recent film ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ grossed over ₹1200 crores. With big projects like ‘Kalki 2’, ‘Salaar 2’, ‘Spirit’, and ‘Raja Saab’ in his pipeline, these films are poised to reach over ₹1000 crores.
Market Between ₹700-1000 Crores
Currently, Tollywood boasts five individuals who have a market capacity of from ₹700 Crores to ₹1000 crores. Among the heroes, Mahesh Babu and Allu Arjun easily fit this bill. Allu Arjun is set to release ‘Pushpa 2’ on December 6, and with the national buzz it’s generating, it could easily make between ₹700-1000 crores if it becomes a hit. Mahesh Babu is set to drastically raise his market with an upcoming film directed by Rajamouli. Director Sandeep Reddy Vanga, who is planning his next film with Prabhas, is expected to touch the ₹1000 crore mark, as per industry analysts. Prashanth Neel’s upcoming projects with NTR (‘NTR31’) and Prabhas (‘Salaar 2’) also place him in this high market bracket.
Market Between ₹500-700 Crores
In this market range, three Tollywood heroes stand out. NTR, Ram Charan, and Pawan Kalyan can easily achieve this with a proper hit. Notably, Tarak has already shown the potential to easily join the ₹500 crore club with his recent success with Devara. Ram Charan, collaborating with director Shankar on ‘Game Changer’, is expected to release around Christmas, and success here could similarly elevate him to the ₹500 crore club. Pawan Kalyan has yet to venture into pan-India films, but his upcoming projects ‘Hari Hara Veera Mallu’ and ‘OG’ are set at this level. There’s significant anticipation for ‘OG’ among fans.
Market Between ₹200-500 Crores
From Tollywood, megastar Chiranjeevi and Balakrishna are likely contenders for this category. At 69, Chiranjeevi’s star power remains undiminished. His upcoming movie ‘Vishwambhara’ is highly anticipated and could easily make ₹200-500 crores if successful. Balakrishna’s last three films have each crossed ₹100 crores. His next, ‘NBK109’ directed by Bobby, features Bollywood actor Bobby Deol as the antagonist. A successful clash between them could easily surpass ₹200 crores. Meanwhile, script magician Trivikram, despite mixed reviews for his last film ‘Gunturu Karam’, managed ₹250 crores. His next film is rumored to be with Allu Arjun, which could potentially rake in ₹500 crores if successful. Director Koratala Siva has also increased his market value with the film ‘Devara’, projecting his future films to start above the ₹200 crore mark.
