Re-Releases of Hit Telugu Films Impact New Releases: Examples and Insights

The re-release trend has become increasingly common in Telugu cinema, particularly during the birthdays of major stars. Fans often celebrate by re-releasing their favorite actors’ hit films, which sometimes receive wide releases. Recently, movies like Businessman, Venky, Murari, Simhadri, and Gabbar Singh have achieved record-breaking numbers in these re-releases. However, this practice has started to impact the performance of new films.

Examples:

• Murari vs. Committee Kurrollu: Committee Kurrollu, a small-budget film backed by actress Niharika Konidela, was performing well among small films. However, it faced tough competition from the re-release of Murari on the same day. Committee Kurrollu had a slow start but improved over the weekend with positive word of mouth. If Murari had not been released on August 9th, Committee Kurrollu could have opened stronger with higher footfall.
• Gabbar Singh vs. Saripodhaa Sanivaaram: Nani’s latest action film Saripodhaa Sanivaaram had a strong opening and performed decently over its first weekend. However, Powerstar Pawan Kalyan’s birthday re-release of Gabbar Singh in a record number of theaters drew massive crowds, impacting Saripodhaa Sanivaaram’s Monday collections. Gabbar Singh grossed five times more than Saripodhaa Sanivaaram on the same day.