TFI is Wasting the Goldmine Called Summer — And It’s Hurting the Industry

Summer used to be our season. March, April, and May — the golden trio where Telugu cinema ruled the box office, families flocked to theaters, and blockbuster after blockbuster was born. Now? It's been two straight years — 2023, 2024 — and heading into 2025 without a single major summer event from Tollywood. The silence is deafening.

It’s almost painful when you look back at what we once had. RRR (2022) reminded the world of summer’s power. Released at the end of March, it crushed every record and became a global phenomenon. That wasn’t luck — it was perfect timing, smart release strategy, and understanding that summer belonged to the movies.

Even smaller films can dream big when summer is clear. Look at Tillu Square (2024). With no heavyweights around, a small comedy sequel became a sensation. Imagine what bigger films could have done with that kind of open runway.

Go back a few years and you’ll find Rangasthalam (2018) — a perfect summer slow-burn success. It didn’t explode overnight with an earth shattering hype. It grew steadily week by week, living proof that summer allows films to breathe, build, and break barriers.

Summer isn’t just for Telugu dominance — it’s for pan-India victories too. Baahubali 2 (2017)  released in April and conquered the entire nation. KGF Chapter 2 (2022) did the same five years later, rewriting the records. If you want long legs at the box office, if you want records that live forever, summer is where you go.

And it’s not like summer needs just one film. Bharat Ane Nenu (2018) arrived just weeks after Rangasthalam and still went on to deliver blockbuster numbers. When the product is strong, the audience appetite during summer is endless.

Even films with mixed talk could turn into juggernauts purely because of the timing. Sarainodu (2016) wasn’t a critic favorite, but the holiday crowd turned it into a monster hit. Maharshi (2019) too fought off divided reviews and emerged victorious, thanks to uninterrupted theater runs. Earlier examples like Gabbar Singh (2012) and Pokiri (2006) show a simple truth: When you give the audience a solid mass entertainer during summer, they show up. They celebrate. They make history.

And now?

Since RRR, it’s been radio silence. No big events. No star-studded spectacles. No industry-shaking releases. TFI is sitting on a goldmine every summer — and choosing to ignore it. Meanwhile, Bollywood, Kannada, and Tamil industries are plotting pan-India releases during the exact window we seem to have abandoned.

What happened to the hunger? What happened to owning the season?

Sankranti and Dussehra are great, but nothing — nothing — matches the clean run and massive potential that summer offers.

TFI needs to wake up.

History has already shown the way. All we need now is courage, planning, and a little bit of ambition to take back the season that once made Telugu cinema unstoppable.