Sankranthi Release Telugu Movies 2023
Director: Bobby Cast: Chiranjeevi, Ravi Teja, Shruti Haasan, Catherine Tresa
The Buzz: When you have the "Megastar" returning to his mass-action avatar, expectations are sky-high. Waltair Veerayya capitalized on nostalgia for Chiranjeevi’s 1980s and 90s persona. The addition of Ravi Teja—branded "Mass Raja"—in an extended cameo created a casting coup that excited frontline audiences.
The Plot: The film follows a local fisherman-turned-smuggler, Veerayya (Chiranjeevi), who operates in Visakhapatnam. He clashes with an international mafia don, aided by a straight-laced cop (Ravi Teja).
Box Office Verdict: Blockbuster Despite mixed reviews from critics regarding the predictable storyline, Waltair Veerayya emerged as the highest-grossing Sankranthi release Telugu movies 2023. Chiru’s comic timing and the high-energy action sequences worked perfectly for family audiences.
Director: Murali Kishor Abburu Cast: Kirr Abbavaram, Kashmira Pardeshi Sankranthi Release Telugu Movies 2023
The Buzz: A major anomaly of 2023. Initially, the Sankranthi race was supposed to have Vaarasudu (the Telugu dub of Vijay’s Varisu) and Shaakuntalam. However, delays pushed Vinaro Bhagyamu Vishnu Katha (VBVK) into the prime slot as a "young hero" alternative to the two senior stars.
The Plot: A middle-class man’s life turns upside down when he receives a mysterious audio cassette that seems to predict his future—if he follows it, success; if he ignores it, disaster.
Box Office Verdict: Disaster Unfortunately, the film was crushed by the Chiranjeevi and Balakrishna juggernauts. Poor promotions and lackluster word-of-mouth led to theaters vacating the film within the first weekend.
The Sankranthi festival is the most prestigious and fiercely competitive release window in the Telugu film industry. Falling in the second week of January, it is a time when families flock to theaters, and producers launch their most expensive, high-octane entertainers. The 2023 Sankranthi season was particularly special, as it marked the industry’s full-fledged return to pre-pandemic normalcy after the seismic shifts of 2020-2022. Director: Bobby Cast: Chiranjeevi, Ravi Teja, Shruti Haasan,
The battle for the 2023 harvest festival was a three-way clash of titans. Three massive films, each led by a major star and backed by a top production house, locked horns at the box office. While a fourth film also joined the fray, the season was overwhelmingly dominated by the "Big Three."
Here is a breakdown of the major Telugu movies that graced the silver screen for Sankranthi 2023.
| Movie | Target Audience | Entertainment Rating | Box Office Status | |--------|----------------|----------------------|--------------------| | Veera Simha Reddy | Balakrishna fans, faction-mass lovers | 3/5 | Hit | | Waltair Veerayya | Chiranjeevi fans, family audiences | 3.5/5 | Super Hit | | Kalyanam Kamaneeyam | OTT rom-com lovers | 2.5/5 | Skip on big screen |
Winner of the clash: Waltair Veerayya – Better family acceptance, longer theatrical run, higher overall collections. The Sankranthi festival is the most prestigious and
Which one to watch?
Both films proved that Sankranthi still belongs to star-driven, no-nonsense mass entertainers in Telugu cinema. However, neither was critically great – but box office ruled the day.
The Verdict: Mass Masala Entertainer
Overview: Veera Simha Reddy was the first major release of the season. Directed by Gopichand Malineni (known for Krack and Jai Simha), this film was designed as a quintessential "factionist" family drama. Balakrishna played a dual role—a fierce, violent village lord in the past and his docile, NRI son in the present. The film relied heavily on Balakrishna’s raw screen presence, high-voltage action sequences, and emotional family sentiments.
Box Office & Reception: The film opened to a thunderous response from Balakrishna’s fan base and mass circuits. Despite mixed reviews from critics, who pointed out a predictable storyline, the film’s emotional core and Varalaxmi Sarathkumar’s powerful performance as the antagonist were widely praised. It emerged as a profitable venture, collecting over ₹130 crore worldwide, and was declared a Sankranthi hit.
To understand the success of this Sankranthi release Telugu movies 2023 season, one must look at the audience sentiment post-pandemic.
