Dasara box-office disappoints Telugu audience

The Dasara season, traditionally a blockbuster period for Telugu cinema, fell short this year, leaving trade circles disappointed. Known for star-studded, high-budget films, the festive lineup in 2024 didn’t deliver the expected box office success, resulting in a subdued holiday season.

This year, three direct Telugu films and three dubbed films vied for attention, but none managed to make a significant mark. Sudheer Babu’s Maa Nanna Superhero failed to resonate with audiences and critics alike, turning into a box office disaster. Janaka Aithe Ganaka, produced by Dil Raju and starring Suhas, received decent reviews, but the film struggled to draw audiences to theaters, limiting its success.

Meanwhile, Gopichand and Sreenu Vaitla’s Viswam managed to connect with a sector of audienceto some extent, but overall, it fell short of expectations and couldn’t capture the wider market.

On the dubbed films front, Superstar Rajinikanth’s Vettaiyan earned mixed reviews but its collections paled in comparison to his previous hit, Jailer. Alia Bhatt’s Jigra was a complete box office failure in Telugu, while Kannada film Martin totally disappoints.

Amid this underwhelming festive lineup, Jr NTR’s Devara continued to reign at the box office, even in its third week. Typically, collections begin to drop after the second week, but the lackluster competition helped Devara maintain its strong performance. As other Dasara releases faltered, Devara emerged as the clear winner of the season, cementing Jr NTR's dominance at the box office.

The failure of the Dasara releases left audiences craving the excitement that typically defines this festive season, making it one of the more disappointing years for cinema trade during this period.