Tollywood Hero Elevations Turning Villains into Jokers?

Tollywood Villains Need Stronger Writing

The 2026 Telugu film season has seen several big-budget films arrive with huge expectations. Films like Peddi, The Paradise and Ranabaali had star power, scale and strong technical teams. Yet, audiences have walked out of theatres feeling that something was missing. Among the many reasons, one BIG reason could be the lack of well-written villains.

A hero needs a strong opponent to make the conflict interesting. A villain cannot just be cruel or powerful. The character needs a clear goal, a deeper reason behind that goal and the ability to challenge the hero in unexpected ways.

Basi Reddy in Aravinda Sametha is a good example. His fear of losing relevance as faction politics fade gives him a deeper motivation. Similarly, Obul Reddy in Okkadu remains memorable because of his unpredictable behavior, twisted sense of humor and obsession with the heroine. These characters feel like real people that connect with the audience.

Recent films have struggled in this area. Peddi does not have one strong antagonist. The hero is made to fight a system, but the conflict lacks a single face and turns into a series of disconnected situations.

In The Paradise, Shikanja Malik has a clear desire for power, but the film does not explore what drives him. His evil son, played by Raghav Juyal, is almost like a joker who only frustrates the audience without creating any real fear or hatred.

Ranabaali’s Hector has a reason to oppose the hero but lacks the unique personality and mannerisms that could make him memorable. Audiences should love to hate or fear a villain, but that is not happening enough in Telugu cinema lately.

The bigger problem is the growing obsession with hero elevation. Filmmakers spend considerable time building the hero’s image but often give less attention to the antagonist. Ram Charan’s Dhruva showed how a villain could challenge the hero through intelligence and mind games rather than just physical strength.

Directors like SS Rajamouli understand the value of building a powerful villain first. Only when the villain is truly formidable does the hero’s victory deliver the biggest elevation. A hero’s victory feels satisfying only when the opponent is equally strong.

Telugu cinema needs to give villains the same writing attention as its heroes. Otherwise, even the biggest action sequences and star-driven moments can leave audiences emotionally disconnected and unsatisfied.