Tollywood has just witnessed its second-best box office phase of 2026 after the Sankranti season.
It began with Ram Charan’s Peddi. While the film fell short of its high expectations, it still performed reasonably well in the Telugu states and brought some audiences back to theatres during the summer. Soon after, Samantha’s Maa Inti Bangaram exceeded expectations and emerged as a true blockbuster, giving the industry an even bigger success.
Now, the focus shifts to July.
The month’s first major releases are Nagabandham and Rao Bahadur, both arriving with healthy pre-release buzz.
Among the two, Nagabandham has tried to generate considerable curiosity through its aggressive promotional campaign. The trailers and posters, with their fantasy-adventure backdrop and visually rich presentation, have created some interest. Written and directed by Abhishek Nama, who is also supervising the film’s VFX work, Nagabandham stars Virat Karna in the lead role and is banking heavily on its scale and visual appeal.
Meanwhile, Rao Bahadur has taken a completely different route.
Instead of spectacle, it is relying on strong content. Ever since its first-look poster, the psychological drama has caught the attention of movie lovers. Director Venkatesh Maha is known for unconventional storytelling, while Satya Dev has built a reputation for choosing performance-oriented roles. The backing of Mahesh Babu’s GMB Entertainment has further boosted the film’s buzz.
Interestingly, both films represent two different kinds of cinema.
Nagabandham is betting on scale, mystery, and VFX, whereas Rao Bahadur is depending on writing, performances, and emotional depth.
If both films receive positive word of mouth from day one, they will enjoy a clean run at the box office before Lenin arrives on July 10.
The recent box office trend has also created a positive atmosphere. While Peddi helped bring audiences back to theatres, Maa Inti Bangaram strengthened that momentum with its blockbuster run.
The question now is whether Nagabandham and Rao Bahadur can build on that momentum.
If both films click with audiences, July could continue Tollywood’s healthy run and give the industry another successful phase after Sankranti and June.
