Tollywood 2024: Theatrical Long Runs Trend is Back in Telugu Cinema

2024 has already proven to be a year of remarkable resilience and evolution for the Telugu film industry, as audiences return to theatres in droves, breathing new life into the box office. From surprise sleeper hits to massive blockbusters, the year has shown that well-crafted films regardless of budget or star power, can still make a lasting impact. The success of films like Hanuman, Tillu Square, Kalki 2898AD, and Devara: Part 1 highlights the growing trend of long theatrical runs, a stark contrast to the fleeting, high-octane releases that once dominated the market. These films have not only performed well in their home markets but have also managed to build significant momentum across other languages, proving that quality content can transcend borders. As the industry prepares for the highly anticipated Pushpa 2: The Rule and other promising releases, there’s a palpable sense of optimism that the golden era of long runs in theatres may be making a much-needed comeback.

Films That Are Reviving Theatrical Success
It all began in January with Prasanth Varma’s "Hanuman", a superhero film that surprisingly outperformed expectations. Despite facing stiff competition from Mahesh Babu's "Guntur Kaaram", the film was a sleeper hit, running successfully for five to six weeks and even performing well in Hindi markets. This was followed by Siddu Jonnalagadda's "Tillu Square" in March, which managed to stay in theatres for about a month, benefitting from a positive response.

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Then came Prabhas and Nag Ashwin’s ambitious project "Kalki 2898AD" in June, which surpassed the 1,000 crore mark at the global box office. With a theatrical run lasting more than 50 days and impressive ticket sales across Telugu, Hindi, and Tamil markets, "Kalki 2898AD" became one of the most successful films of the year, including setting a new record for the highest number of tickets sold on the Book My Show portal.

August proved to be another turning point. Films like "Committee Kurrollu" and "Aay", both small-budget films with little to no star power, proved that well-made films could still attract audiences if word of mouth was positive. Both of these films gradually gained traction, running in theatres for over a month, a remarkable feat for movies without big stars or heavy promotions.
In September, Jr. NTR’s "Devara: Part 1" released to massive expectations and had a great run for about five weeks, even continuing its strong performance through the Dussehra festival. The film’s success reaffirmed that audience loyalty for high-quality content and stars still holds sway in Telugu cinema.

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The festive season brought even more good news. "Lucky Baskhar", starring Dulquer Salmaan, and "Amaran", a Tamil-Telugu bilingual, both released in October and have continued to show strong performance in theatres. Their success further reinforced the trend of audiences flocking to cinemas, even for films that were not high-budget, star-studded extravaganzas.

Hope for the Future: Will Long Runs Return?
The strong box office performance of films like "Hanuman," "Tillu Square," "Kalki 2898AD," "Committee Kurrollu," "Aay," "Devara," "Lucky Baskhar," and "Amaran" has reignited hope for the revival of long theatrical runs. Even mid-range films like "Saripodhaa Sanivaaram", "Mathu Vadalara 2", and "KA" have shown that audiences are willing to support good films, helping them stay in theatres for weeks.

As we look forward to "Pushpa 2: The Rule", expected to make a huge splash upon its release in December, there is a growing sense of optimism for the revival of long runs in theatres. If this trend continues, we may soon see the return of celebrations for films that complete milestones like 100 and 175 days in theatres.

The future of cinema halls hinges on the revival of these long theatrical runs, which are essential not only for the survival of theatres but also for the overall health of the film exhibition ecosystem. Let’s hope that this positive trend continues into 2024 and beyond, bringing a new era of cinematic experiences in theatres.

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