2015 Tollywood Hits & Flops

Tollywood Film Industry has witnessed a release of around 160 plus straight films this year, and as the year is coming to an end, ZustCinema throws light on the 2015 Telugu Cinema Hits and Flops.

Rajamouli’s Baahubali has become talk of the
season and the pride of Telugu Cinema by setting cash registers ringing all over India and Overseas regions. Baahubali has become the all-time industry hit at the Tollywood Box-Office.

January

2015 started off with the release of two small budget films A Shyam Gopal Varma Film and Mana Kurralle released on January 1, but neither of them went noticed among audiences, and resulted as disaster. The first biggest release of 2015 came in the form of Venkatesh, Pawan Kalyan starrer Gopala Gopala, remake of Hindi film Oh My God, and the movie has managed to cash on Pongal holiday season craze. Director Shankar, Vikram’s dubbed film I which was released with massive expectations bombed at the BO. Though it had great openings, it fizzled out later resulting as a loss venture.

Kalyan Ram’s Pataas which has arrived in latter half of January has become the biggest hit. With a worldwide gross of Rs.29 crore, Pataas is the most profitable film for the buyers. Dhanush’s dubbed film Raghuvaran B Tech is another major hit of the season, while Sundeep Kishan’s Beeruva ended up as average grosser. 

Blockbusters- Pataas

Hits- Raghuvaran B Tech

Averages- Gopala Gopala, Beeruva

Flops- I, Ladies & Gentleman

February

Around 11 films have hit the screens this February, and NTR, Puri Jagannadh’s combo Temper was only biggest release and only hit this month, garnering very good collections at the box-office. NTR after a string of flops is back in game with Puri Jagannadh directorial Temper. Sharwanand, Nithya Menon’s Malli Malli Idhi Rani Roju earned critical-applauds and the dialogues and songs were the major asset of the movie, besides the content. Allari Naresh’s Bandipotu and Rajasekhar’s Gaddam Gang which were released with decent expectations had however ended up as disasters.

Hits- Temper

Averages- Malli Malli Idhi Rani Roju

Flops- Bandipotu, Bham Bholenath, Pesarattu, Gaddam Gang

March

March also saw a series of medium-budgets releases, but a couple of experimental like Nikhil starrer Surya Vs Surya and Nani’s Yevade Subramanyam. Both these movies though garnered mixed public talk earned critical-applauds, but they ended up as above average grossers. Nani’s Janda Pai Kapiraju appealed to masses to an extent while, Gopichand’s Jil made with a good budget managed to get good openings but the stylish presentation or the catchy Ghibran’s tunes couldn’t stop the film from failing. YVS Chowdary, Sai Dharam Tej’s Rey resulted as disaster and so is Tungabhadra film. Akash’s Anandam Malli Modalaindi, Rajendra Prasad’s Tommy films were other disasters this month.

Hits – None

Averages- Surya Vs Surya, Yevade Subramanyam

Flops- Jil, Janda Pai Kapiraju, Rey

April

Allu Arjun, Trivikram’s S/o Satyamurthy and Naga Chaitanya’s Dochay were much awaited releases of early summer 2015. While Dochay failed to reached the hype and suffered with the high distribution prices, S/o Satyamurthy managed to click in A, B centers and turned out to be average grosser, due to the holiday season and not much competition.

Ravi Babu’s hit film Avunu raised expectations on sequel, but Avunu 2 went unnoticeable among audiences. Mani Ratnam’s love entertainer with Dulquer Salmaan and Nithya Menon as leads, Ok Bangaram entertained youth audiences. Among the other flops in April were Varadhi and Kai Raja Kai, while Lakshmi Manchu’s Budugu is an average venture, considering its low-budget.

Hits- None

Averages- S/o Satyamurthy, Ok Bangaram

Flops- Dochay, Avunu 2, Varadhi

May

Tollywood continued its poor run even in the mid-summer, which is often considered as the best season to cash in on. Out of 12 plus releases this May, Bala Krishna’s Lion and Ram’s Pandaga Chesko were only the much-awaited among straight releases. Pandaga Chesko though earned mixed talk, managed to survive at the BO with the buyers getting into a safe zone. Bala Krishna arrived to big-screens as Lion, which failed to grab any attention; the film though earned decent openings, failed to please masses as well.

Raghava Lawrence’s Ganga, the bugged horror genre film stunned the trade ending up as a massive hit with a gross of 20 Crore. Ganga was a big hit in both Tamil and Telugu. Another dubbed film Kamal Haasan’s Uttama Villain failed to reach the hype, and distributors have lost high amounts.

RGV’s 365 Days is an outright disaster at the box-office, while Manchu Lakshmi’s Dongaata managed to get some attention. Sudheer Babu’s Mosagallaku Mosagadu failed to entertain.

Hits- Ganga

Averages- Pandaga Chesko, Dongaata

Flops- 365 Days, Uttama Villain, Lion, Mosagallaku Mosagadu

June

Akash Puri, Ulka’s Andhra Pori is the first film to release in June, and despite being a remake of superhit, the Telugu version remained as flop and went invisible. Nara Rohit who always experiments with his films arrived to screens as Asura, which earned critical-applauds. Krishnamma Kalipindi Iddarini and Tiger pleased the youthful audiences and masses, doing moderately well at the Box-Office. A couple of anticipated films of the month Jyothilakshmi and Jadoogadu failed miserably. Sampoornesh Babu’s Singham 123 too bit the dust at BO. 

Hits- None

Averages- Krishnamma Kalipindi Iddarini, Tiger, Kerintha

Flops- Singham 123, Jadoogadu, Jyothilakshmi, Vinavayya Ramayya

July

SS Rajamouli, Prabhas’s Baahubali, biggest release of all-time has hit the screens in July month and the epic has created history. It just took five days to enter the Rs.200 crore club worldwide, and is the fastest movie to earn the feat. Baahubali has grossed 500 cr worldwide and the Overall WW Share of 265 Cr Approximately resulting as an all time industry hit. Baahubali is a visual wonder and Pride of Telugu Cinema.

Senior actress Jayasudha's son Shreyaan made his debut with Basthi, but the film sunk badly at BO, followed by Charmi’s Mantra 2 which was another dud. Except for Allari Naresh’s James Bond which resulted as an average, there is string of flops followed including Challenge, Pandavullo Okkadu, Mirchilanti Kurradu.

All Time Industry Hit- Baahubali

Averages- James Bond

Flops- Mantra 2, Challenge, Pandavullo Okkadu, Mirchilanti Kurradu

August

After Baahubali, Mahesh Babu’s Srimanthudu is the big-budget films of the season, which continued its success run at Tollywood, setting the cash-registers ringing. Srimanthudu has become the second biggest grosser of all-time after Baahubali. The film has outshined in both overseas and India regions. Koratala has proved that he could deal the mass films in stylish way, even conveying a message.

Raj Tharun’s Cinema Chupista Mava has entertained the masses. The right mix of comedy, mass and youthful elements offered enough entertainment which made it a blockbuster. Ravi Teja, Surender Reddy’s Kick 2 failed to live up to the hype, and it is completely disappointing. Poonam Pandey’s Malini & Co is one of the pathetic films released this year, that endedup as big dud.

Blockbusters- Srimanthudu

Hits- Cinema Chupista Mava

Flops- Best Actors, Malini & Co, Kick 2

September

Tollywood witnessed few notable releases in September month including Vishnu Manchu’s Dynamite, Nani’s Bhale Bhale Magadivoy, Nithin’s Courier Boy Kalyan, Sai Dharam Tej’s Subramanyam For Sale.

Bhale Bhale Magadivoy is one of the best romantic comedies released this year, and the film has grossed 51 Crores at Box-Office. The buyers and distributors had earned good profits with this medium-budget Maruthi directorial. Sai Dharam Tej, Harish Shankar’s Subramanyam For Sale is another romantic comedy, that has managed to enter the profit zone.

Released with good expectations but failed to cash on the remake craze, Devakatta, Vishnu Manchu’s Dynamite fell into category of worst made remakes. Director Teja’s Hora Hori has turned out to be a painful watch in theaters. Nithin’s Courier Boy Kalayan despite decent storyline spoilt the show with clichéd characterizations and tedious screenplay. 

Blockbusters- Bhale Bhale Magadivoy

Averages-  Subramanyam For Sale, Mayuri

Flops- Dynamite, Hora Hori, Keutgadu, Courier Boy Kalyan.

October

After Pongal and summer seasons, Dussera season is one of the best holidays season to cash on at Tollywood box-office, and the Telugu producers have released a string of big-budgets including Ram’s Shivam, Ram Charan’s Bruce Lee, Gunasekhar’s Rudrama Devi, Krish’s Kanche and Kalyan Ram’s Sher. But surprisingly besides all these big-budgets, the medium budget movie Raju Gari Gadhi ended up as a super hit considering the return on investment. Though not stunningly made, Raju Gari Gadhi has offered enough entertainment.

Shivam and Bruce Lee are one of the biggest disappointments ending as loss ventures and so, is Sher, which has nothing new to offer to audiences. Ram Charan’s Bruce Lee was a below average fare at BO, and even Chiranjeevi’s cameo and Ram Charan’s sharp dances didn’t help out the film in its revenues. Kanche is another experimental big-budget released this year, and the film managed to captivate audiences with its engaging narration, good performances and thoughtful dialogues. Rudramadevi made with whopping budget ended as an average grosser.

Hits- Kanche, Raju Gari Gadhi

Averages- Rudrama Devi

Flops- Sher, Bruce Lee, Shivam, Columbus

November

Six plus films have released in November this month. Akhil movie which was released with massive expectations is one of the biggest disappointments this year. Made with a whopping budget, Akhil was one of the biggest loss ventures for producers and exhibitors. Swathi’s Tripura did not live up to the hype of its prequel Geethanjali. Sukumar’s production venture Kumari 21 has is still continuing its solid run and turned a youthful hit. Size Zero and Thanu Nenu have released and remained as disasters.

Hits – Kumari 21F

Averages- Cheekati Rajyam

Flops- Akhil, Tripura, Size Zero

December

More than a dozen films have been released in December with more positive note at Tollywood Box office. Films like Shankarabharanam, Veediki Dookudekkuva, Hitudu, Bengal Tiger, Hitudu, Kaki, Loafer, Nava Manmadhudu, Soukhyam, Mama Manchu Alludu Kanchu, Jatha Kalise, Bhale Manchi Roju released in the month of December.

Among which Bengal Tiger, Bhale Manchi Roju  remained to be successful entertainers. Bhale Manchi Roju has remained to be in the race of Hits while Loafer, Bengal Tiger, Jatha Kalise is an average fare at box office. Other films like Soukyam, Mama Manchu Alludu Kanchu, Shankarabharanam are termed as disasters. 

Hits – Bhale Manchi Roju

Averages- Loafer, Bengal Tiger, Jatha Kalise

Flops- Soukyam, Mama Manchu Alludu Kanchu, Shankarabharanam, Hitudu