Renowned Directors lost their sheen in Tollywood

The Telugu film industry, Tollywood, is grappling with a question that’s brewing a storm of debate: are seasoned directors losing their Midas touch? While veterans like YVS Chowdary, Gunasekhar, M.S. Raju, Krishna Vamsi, Ram Gopal Varma, and Puri Jagannath continue to announce new projects, a wave of recent flops – including “Shakuntalam”, “Rangamarthanda”, “Liger”, “Malli Pelli”, and “Vyooham” – has raised concerns about their ability to connect with audiences.

Producer C Kalyan points to the changing tastes of the new generation as a key factor. He argues that young viewers are seeking novelty and are less interested in recycled ideas.  Moreover, the older audience who once patronized these directors are now aging, contributing to lower box office numbers.

C Kalyan also highlights the success of new directors like those behind “Bimbisara”, “Virupaksha”, “Balagam”, and “Tillu Square”, who are injecting fresh energy into Tollywood with their experimental movies.  He believes that a lack of support for non-star, thematic films, unlike the flourishing Malayalam and Tamil industries, is hindering Tollywood’s progress.

However, director Neelakanta refutes the generational gap argument, citing international examples like Martin Scorsese and Yash Chopra, who have delivered blockbusters well into their sixties and seventies. He emphasizes that the failure of recent films is not solely due to age, but rather due to content that didn’t resonate with audiences.

This debate reflects the complex dynamics of Tollywood, where seasoned directors face a challenge in adapting to changing audience preferences while new voices are emerging with fresh perspectives. The future of Tollywood hinges on whether established directors can find their footing in this evolving landscape and whether the industry will embrace diverse storytelling beyond star-driven narratives.