The first quarter of 2026 in Tollywood saw a mix of big-ticket star vehicles and small-scale films. While trade results varied across genres, here's a look at the theatrical performance of key releases.
Prabhas led this romantic fantasy horror-comedy directed by Maruthi. It opened to strong numbers worldwide but struggled due to high costs. The film was ultimately deemed a flop, with criticism directed at its weak screenplay and lack of engaging fan moments.
Chiranjeevi and Nayanthara teamed up for this family drama directed by Anil Ravipudi. It dominated the Sankranti season, grossing over Rs 300 crore and emerging as a massive blockbuster.
Sharwanand headlined this romantic entertainer directed by Ram Abbaraju. Despite facing stiff competition during the festive clash, the film managed to make profits. However, it couldn't surpass Anaganaga Oka Raju, partly due to a less favourable release strategy, with distributors prioritising Naveen Polishetty's film.
Anaganaga Oka Raju is an entertainer driven by humour and shouldered by Naveen Polishetty. Critics commented that the film succeeds as a wholesome, engaging entertainer that finds strength in simplicity and sincerity
Bhartha Mahasayulaku Wignyapthi offers watchable comedy but falls short with a generic and predictable storyline. The Ravi Teja-starrer did not live up to the expectations of the audiences
Bhumika Chawla, Vignesh Gavireddy, and Sara Arjun starred in this message-oriented crime thriller directed by Gunasekhar. While it received critical acclaim for its bold theme, it failed to draw audiences to theatres and ended up as a flop.
Vishwak Sen played a filmmaker in this satirical drama directed by Anudeep KV of Jathi Ratnalu fame. The film's satire did not resonate with the masses, and it ended its run as a box office flop, with collections dropping sharply after Day 2.
This investigative thriller starring Sree Vishnu registered modest openings but eventually underperformed at the box office, marking another setback for the actor following Vishnu Vinyasam.
Varalaxmi Sarathkumar both directed and starred in this suspenseful revenge thriller. Despite an interesting premise, the film suffered from slow pacing, received mixed reviews, and ended as a flop.
Pawan Kalyan returned with this action entertainer directed by Harish Shankar. While fans thronged theatres for its mass appeal, the film underperformed at the box office, with trade reports estimating losses of around 50% in most territories.