When films like 'Samara Simha Reddy' and 'Narasimha Naidu' glamourized massacres and bloodshed, criticisms were galore. This made Megastar Chiranjeevi give the message of peace in the climax of 'Indra'. Afterward, films like Jr NTR's 'Simhadri' continued with the tradition of glorifying excessive violence, passed off as merciless violence by the ideal hero. After action entertainers like 'Pokiri' became successful, the glorification of unabashed blood-letting decreased. 'Magadheera' had an episode where the hero butchers 100 people, but it was an exceptional episode in an exceptional period film.

This Sankranthi, it seems we are back to the 'Narakadam' spree. Both 'Veera Simha Reddy' and 'Waltair Veerayya' have whipped up gory visuals of their respective heroes resorting to decapitation and blissful violence. Netizens have started giving counts of the number of heads chopped off by the titular characters, played respectively by Balakrishna and Chiranjeevi. Apparently, the number is the same!

'VSR' is a faction film set for the most part in Rayalaseema. Right from the start, it was described as such. 'Waltair Veerayya' is Chiru's most violence-happy film, one can say.

It has to be seen whether this is once again going to be a trend in Telugu cinema.