This year, three major films from top stars have been released so far — The Raja Saab (Prabhas), Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu (Chiranjeevi), and Ustaad Bhagat Singh (Pawan Kalyan).
One common factor in all three films was the attempt to bring back the “vintage” version of these stars — their old mannerisms, style, and mass appeal that fans loved in earlier days.
When Vintage Works: Chiranjeevi’s Success Story
In the case of Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu, this approach worked well. The vintage moments connected with the audience, and the film went on to become a big success for Chiranjeevi.
The film successfully recreated the vintage energy that made him a household name, proving that when executed right, this formula can still deliver results.
The Raja Saab: Vintage Formula Meets Poor Execution
However, things didn’t go the same way for The Raja Saab. The film tried to present Prabhas in a vintage style with comedy, romance, and dances, but it failed in execution, and the vintage elements did not click with audiences.
Despite the initial buzz around bringing back the energetic Prabhas that fans remembered, the result was a big failure at the box office. The disconnect between intent and execution proved costly.
Ustaad Bhagat Singh: Another Vintage Misfire
Now, Ustaad Bhagat Singh followed a similar route. Director Harish Shankar tried to recreate Pawan Kalyan’s vintage energy, even using references like the iconic “Ee Manase” song from Tholi Prema.
The film aimed to bring back his old mass attitude and style, but it did not work with audiences. Despite the nostalgic callbacks, the execution fell short of expectations.
The Changing Audience: Fresh Over Familiar
This trend is now raising an important point — the vintage formula is becoming risky for current tier-1 stars. Today’s audience seems to prefer seeing their favorite heroes in fresh and new roles, rather than revisiting past styles.
The Sankranthi box office results have sent a clear message: audiences want innovation, not mere recreation of what worked decades ago.
While this approach might still work to some extent for senior stars like Chiranjeevi, it is clearly not clicking the same way for present-day top heroes like Prabhas and Pawan Kalyan.
In fact, among fans now, the moment they hear the word “vintage”, there is a bit of concern, as recent results show that it doesn’t always guarantee success anymore. The industry may need to rethink this strategy going forward.
