Subsequently his poor choices led to those films underperforming in Telugu and thus it affected his momentum here.

In the meantime, several other Tamil stars expanded their base in the Telugu market by consistently engaging with local audiences, giving tough competition to Suriya and Karthi.

Suriya, however, has now bounced back in style with Karuppu (Veerabhadrudu in Telugu), which emerged as a box-office success. The film's performance has significantly boosted the buzz around his upcoming release, Vishwanath & Sons.

However, the film recently landed in controversy after director Venky Atluri, during a Tamil promotional interview, clarified that Vishwanath & Sons is a straight Tamil film that was shot entirely in Tamil and is being dubbed into Telugu.

His comments disappointed a section of Telugu fans, especially since both Venky Atluri and producer Naga Vamsi are from Telugu cinema. Many had expected the project to be a bilingual or a straight Telugu film.

Amid the debate, Suriya's active participation in the Telugu promotions could help change the narrative. By attending promotional events in Hyderabad and interacting with Telugu media and fans, the actor can reinforce his long-standing bond with Telugu audiences.

Given Suriya's popularity in both Tamil and Telugu markets, a well-planned promotional campaign across the Telugu states could not only strengthen the film's prospects at the box office but also help address the concerns expressed by a section of fans.