This year has proven to be exceptional for Bollywood, positive for the Tamil industry, and somewhat disappointing for Tollywood at the US box office.
Shah Rukh Khan is dominating with “Pathaan” ($17.6 million) and “Jawan” ($15.4 million) securing the top two positions. Karan Johar’s romantic blockbuster “Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahani” holds the 3rd spot with $10.6 million in earnings.
“Jailer,” “Leo,” and “Ponniyin Selvan 2” claim the 4th, 5th, and 6th positions on the chart. “Adipurush” takes the 8th spot, grossing around $3.1 million, making it the sole film in the Top 10 featuring a Telugu hero. However, it has significant Bollywood connections, making it technically not a pure Tollywood film.
The highly anticipated “Salaar” starring Prabhas is expected to break into the Top 10, but its final ranking is crucial. According to industry experts, the film needs to gross a staggering $18 million overseas to break even.
Even if “Salaar” secures a place in the top 10, it cannot be considered a true Tollywood film, as both the producer and director hail from the Kannada industry.
