Sankranthi Loses Sheen as Telugu Cinema Battles Overcrowding

As of November 16th, 2025, the prestige of Sankranthi, the biggest release window for Telugu cinema, has slowly begun to morph into pressure. In recent years, producers have rushed to plant their flags on the festive calendar months in advance, leading to an atmosphere of spectacle, insecurity, and unchecked crowding.

The belief that a Sankranthi release guarantees success is no longer true. The 2024 season was a turning point, where star vehicles like 'Guntur Kaaram' and 'Saindhav' underperformed, while 'HanuMan', a modestly mounted film, captured the public imagination and dominated the box office. This pattern has continued, with the 2025 season also seeing mixed results, where only a reasonably budgeted film like 'Sankranthiki Vasthunnam' tasted success.