Telugu cinema has created some of the biggest commercial superstar in India. Names like Prabhas, Allu Arjun, NTR, Charan and others have earned thousands of crores at the global box office.
The latest discussion is not about collections but appearance.
The topic now is the physical presentation of top Telugu stars. Concerns are being raised about the "looks" carried by Prabhas, NTR, Pawan Kalyan and now Mahesh. Fans feel this is a weak phase for star styling and grooming.
NTR was fine until the release of Devara. After that, the slim down and thick beard drew mixed responses. His current styling is said to be inconsistent. Many feel the shift did not work as expected.
Prabhas has already been facing doubts about his looks. Offline appearances have worried fans. The hope now is on Sandeep Reddy to revive Prabhas's look to whatever extent possible in Spirit. Expectations are high.
Pawan Kalyan has joined the list with a strangely short hairstyle. Recent appearances gained negative attention. The unusually short hair has not pleased fans. The common opinion is that the look does not suit him.
Mahesh Babu shared a clean, save picture on Instagram. Trolls started soon after. Many expected him to look more masculine for the Rajamouli film. The new look went in the opposite direction, surprising everyone.
It appears that leading Tollywood stars are going through a lean phase in terms of looks. Fans now expect a strong comeback. A focused effort on grooming and style could change the narrative.