April has not been a favorable month for Tollywood since the onset of the Corona pandemic, with this negative sentiment persisting for the past four years.
From 2021 to April of this year, the industry has seen more shocking flops than blockbuster hits. In April 2021, movies like "Wild Dog" and "Vakeel Saab" were released. The following year, "Ghani" and "Acharya" were slated for April releases. In 2023, "Ravanasura," "Shakunthalam," and "Agent" hit the screens. This year, "Family Star" was released in April.
"Family Star" was anticipated to kick off the summer box office with a bang. However, the movie unexpectedly failed. Despite Vijay Deverakonda's substantial youth following and the film's family-oriented appeal, it failed to resonate with audiences. Not even the directorial skills of Parasuram, the production of Dil Raju, or the charm of Mrunal Thakur could save the film.
The box office in April, which began sluggishly with "Family Star," failed to gain any momentum. "Manjummal Boys," released the same week, couldn’t maintain its presence in theaters as expected. Although it was a hit worldwide, it found limited appreciation among Telugu audiences. "Premalu," another Malayalam dubbed movie released earlier, performed better than anticipated.
The second week of April saw "Gitanjali Malli Vacchindi" release. Despite being a sequel to a past hit, this horror-comedy failed to entertain, lacking both scares and humor and disappointing audiences even with modest expectations.
Other releases that week included "Dear," "Love Guru," and "Sriranganithulu." Despite strong promotional campaigns, "Dear" and "Love Guru" did not resonate with Telugu audiences, and "Sriranganithulu" also flopped.
In the third week, films such as "Teppasamudram," "Market Mahalakshmi," "Parijathaparvam," "Sarapanjaram," and "Tenet" were released. While "Parijathaparvam" and "Tenet" generated some buzz prior to their release, they ultimately lacked substance.
The fourth week saw the release of "Ratnam," starring Vishal. Despite the excitement surrounding Vishal's involvement and the promising title, the film failed to impress. Even with a mass director like Hari at the helm, "Ratnam" was criticized for its dull content and execution.
Throughout April, no single movie managed to make a significant impact. Audiences even disregarded films like "My Dear Donga," released on OTT platforms, and the re-release of "Happy Days." This reinforces the negative sentiment around April, with "Virupaksha" being the only exception over these four years.