Tollywood 2024: Blockbusters and Budget Surprises, From ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ to ‘HanuMan’ 

The year 2024 has been extremely fruitful for Tollywood. This year’s highest-grossing film was Prabhas’s ‘Kalki 2898 AD.’ Released as a festive treat for Sankranti, the movie ‘Hanuman’ also showcased its strength at the national box office with impressive collections. However, these two films were made with massive budgets. In contrast, lower-budget films like ‘Tillu Square,’ ‘Committee Kurrollu,’ and ‘Aay’ also stood on par in terms of collections with those two films, achieving nearly triple the return on investment. These films have been noted for the significant difference between their budget and collections, ranking among the top 5 Telugu films. Let’s examine these details in this special report.

Committee Kurrollu

Niharika Konidela’s debut production, ‘Committee Kurrollu,’ featured eleven new heroes and was released on August 10, garnering positive reviews. It raked in Rs. 17.60 crores worldwide on a budget of just Rs. 6 crores. The film achieved three times the return relative to its budget, earning accolades from critics. ‘Committee Kurrollu’ is currently streaming on ETV Win, where it continues to receive a favorable response from OTT platforms.

Aay

The recent film ‘Aay,’ starring Narne Nithiin and Nayan Sarika, directed by Anji K. Maniputra, was released on August 15 and captured a hit status. It outperformed star-studded films like ‘Mr. Bachchan’ and ‘Double iSmart’ in collections, amassing a total of Rs. 14.10 crores. The production costs were reported to be between Rs. 6-8 crores. Including OTT rights, ‘Aay’ managed to earn nearly three times its expenses.

Kalki 2898 AD

Directed by Nag Ashwin and starring Rebel Star Prabhas, ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ has shaken the Indian box office, grossing over Rs. 1200-1300 crores worldwide. Made in a mythological and futuristic genre, the film was produced with an approximate budget of Rs. 600 crores but earned more than double its cost, receiving widespread acclaim. Pan India star Prabhas once again proved his mettle at the box office. The film also featured stars like Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Haasan, and Deepika Padukone, with special cameos by Vijay Deverakonda, Dulquer Salmaan, S.S. Rajamouli, and Ram Gopal Varma.

Tillu Square

Starring Siddhu Jonnalagadda and Anupama Parameswaran, ‘Tillu Square‘ released in March this year and made a splash at the box office, collecting over Rs. 135 crores globally. Produced by prominent producer Nagadevara Suryavanshi with a budget of around Rs. 40 crores, the film achieved more than three times its budget. This movie marked Siddhu Jonnalagadda’s first entry into the Rs. 100 crore club.

HanuMan

Directed by talented filmmaker Prasanth Varma and starring Teja Sajja, ‘HanuMan‘ captured nationwide attention. Released as a Sankranti gift this year, the film unexpectedly grossed over Rs. 350 crores on a modest budget of Rs. 40 crores, nearly nine times its production cost, astonishing everyone. This success elevated Prashant Varma to a star director status. Following ‘HanuMan,’ Varma announced a new project with Nandamuri Balakrishna’s son Mokshagna Teja, which is soon to commence shooting. He is also focusing on the sequel ‘Jai Hanuman.’