Tamil cinema has one of the strongest markets in the Telugu states, bigger than any other industry outside Tollywood. But one milestone still remains out of reach for Kollywood: ₹100 Cr gross in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
Jailer 2 looked certain to break that barrier. Now, it is set to fall just short.
Kollywood’s Strong Telugu Market
Over the years, Tamil filmmakers and stars have built a huge following among Telugu audiences. Directors like Shankar, Mani Ratnam, A.R. Murugadoss and now Lokesh Kanagaraj have delivered big hits in the Telugu states.
Stars like Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan and Suriya have also built strong markets here, with many of their films doing as well as big Telugu releases.
The Missing ₹100 Cr
But no Tamil film has managed to gross ₹100 Cr in the Telugu states so far.
Rajinikanth has come closest. His 2.0 and Jailer both settled in the ₹80 Cr to ₹90 Cr range.
Jailer 2 Falls Just Short
Jailer 2 was expected to finally cross the mark. Going by its initial trend, it looked like a sure thing. But the film is now set to close its Telugu states run at around ₹96 Cr gross, just short of the milestone.
Why It Slowed Down
Two things have hurt the film’s final run. First, the new releases have taken over most screens, and Jailer 2 is now barely running even in a few theatres.
Second, the film is coming to Prime Video on November 12. With the OTT release just days away, theatre owners aren’t interested in keeping it on screens, as most audiences would rather wait a few days to watch it at home or choose the new releases.
Dubbed Films Have Done It
What makes Kollywood’s wait even more noticeable is that several dubbed films from other industries have crossed ₹100 Cr gross in the Telugu states.
Dubbed Films With ₹100 Cr+ in the Telugu States
- KGF Chapter 2 (Kannada)
- Kantara Chapter 1 (Kannada)
- Dhurandhar 2 (Hindi)
- Avatar: The Way of Water (English)
Kannada, Hindi and even Hollywood films have managed it, but Tamil cinema still hasn’t.
Ramayana Next?
Now, Ramayana is also aiming for ₹100 Cr gross in the Telugu states. If it gets there, it will add one more name to the list, while Kollywood continues its wait.
Jailer 2 at Around ₹96 Cr
Jailer 2’s run in the Telugu states is still a big achievement. At around ₹96 Cr, it is the highest-grossing Tamil film ever in the region. But for now, the ₹100 Cr mark remains Kollywood’s unfinished business.
