Small budgets, strong stories: Tollywood underdogs that proved content trumps star power | Telugu Movie News
The Tollywood box office in 2025 offered an unexpected contrast. While several high-profile, spectacle-driven releases struggled to sustain audience interest, a clutch of small-budget films — Court: A State vs Nobody, Little Hearts, Raju Weds Rambai, The Great Pre-Wedding Show, Mad Square, K-Ramp — found steady commercial success through grounded storytelling and relatable themes. The verdict from the 2025 box office is clear: The script is the only hero the audience is willing to pay for. Hyderabad Times examines how these rooted films struck a chord and what their success signals for the industry ahead.
‘Authenticity often resonates more than spectacle’Producers Sandeep Agaram and Prajnay say their experience with The Great Pre-Wedding Show reinforced the importance of emotional realism. “It’s not always necessary to have a commercial hook in a cinema. Sometimes, being authentic and rooted helps you connect more deeply with the audience,” they say. They believe that smaller films are filling a gap left by spectacle-driven storytelling. “In the race to focus on scale, grandeur and visuals, Tollywood has often missed out on exploring real human emotions. Today, it’s no longer just about an actor’s film. Many small-budget, rooted stories offer strong, well-developed characters instead of centering only on a single protagonist.”
‘Audiences want strong content more than star-driven films’Anupam Reddy, former secretary of the Telangana State Film Chamber of Commerce, observes a noticeable change in viewing behaviour. “When the content is good, audiences are willing to watch a film regardless of whether it features new faces or comes from a big production house,” he says, attributing this shift largely to younger viewers.He also points to the financial logic behind this trend, saying, “I see a growing shift toward content-driven films rather than star-driven ones. Small-budget films also tend to deliver better return of investment (ROI), as their percentage returns are often higher than those of big-budget films.”
‘When good cinema comes along, audiences definitely appreciate it’Reflecting on the response to Little Hearts, director Sai Marthand says the film’s journey reaffirmed his belief in content-led cinema. “When good cinema comes along, entertaining and engaging, audiences definitely appreciate it,” he says. Drawing comparisons with other industries, he adds, “If you look at Malayalam cinema, there are many content-driven films made on small budgets. I think Telugu cinema is moving towards a similar trend in the next two to three years.”
Worldwide box office snapshotCourt: A State vs NobodyBudget: ₹4–10 crore | Worldwide Gross: ₹58 croreLittle HeartsBudget: ₹2.4 crore | Worldwide Gross: ₹40 croreRaju Weds RambaiBudget: ₹2.5 crore | Worldwide Gross: ₹22.46 croreThe Great Pre-Wedding ShowBudget: ₹4.1 crore | Worldwide Gross: ₹6.8 croreK RampBudget: 18 crores I Worlwide Gross: ₹ 20 croresMad SquareBudget: 40 Crore I Worlwide Gross: ₹ 75 crore
