Happening stars like Allu Arjun, NTR, Ram Charan, and Mahesh Babu were notably absent in 2023. But still the year has seen enough of success at Tollywood box office.
Prabhas made a significant impact with Salaar, while Chiranjeevi, Balakrishna, and Nani brought considerable dynamism to the box office.
The year commenced grandly at the box office with Sankranti releases. Veera Simha Reddy made a successful debut, followed by the triumph of Waltair Veerayya, making Sankranti a resounding success.
Despite other films in January facing setbacks, Balakrishna and Chiranjeevi's movies played a crucial role in sustaining box office momentum.
Continuing the momentum set by Veera Simha Reddy and Waltair Veerayya, Sir, Dhanush's first straight Telugu film, achieved success.
Nani's 'Dasara' helmed by a new director also shone in 2023. Vishwak Sen's Das Ka Dhamki and Sai Dharam Tej's Virupaksha added further momentum, with the latter joining the hundred crore club for the first time in his career.
Superstar Rajinikanth marked a strong return with Jailer, earning blockbuster status in both Telugu and Tamil markets.
Anushka made a comeback with Miss Shetty Mr Polishetty, a successful venture alongside Naveen Polishetty.
Prabhas concluded the year on a high note with Salaar Part-1, breaking records and claiming the top spot at the Tollywood box office.
Noteworthy small films made a mark this year, with Balagam and Baby garnering attention. Anand Deverakonda's commercial success and Vaishnavi Chaitanya's recognition as a heroine were highlights.
However, anticipated movies faced unexpected setbacks. Prabhas starrer Adipurush and Chiranjeevi's Bhola Shankar proved to be major flops.
Agent, featuring Akhil, also inflicted significant losses. Other disappointments included Sakunthalam, Ravanasura, and Tiger Nageswarao.
Mega heroes faced mixed fortunes, with Pawan Kalyan-Saidharam's Bro, Vaishnav Tej's Adikesava, and Varun Tej's Gandeevadhari Arjuna failing to make a mark.
Amid the challenges, a few directors stood out in 2023. Venu, the director of Balagam, made a powerful impact, as did Srikanth Odela with Dasara. Kalyan Shankar's MAD provided a successful blend of comedy and youthfulness.
In the realm of heroines, Vaishnavi Chaitanya and Reba Monika John gained recognition. However, others like Sakshi Vaidya, Aishwarya Menon, Avantika Dasani, Geetika Tiwari, and Nupur Sanon faced setbacks.
A noteworthy achievement came from Allu Arjun, who received the Best Actor Award at the 69th National Awards for his role in Pushpa, making history as the first Telugu actor to achieve this honor.
Tollywood witnessed controversies in 2023, with Adipurush and Agent being the center of legal disputes.
Social media wars between Anasuya and Vijay Devarakonda fans, political implications in the movie Bro, and disputes related to the Santhosham Awards added layers of controversy.
Both the Producers Council and the Critics Association joined forces in boycotting Suresh Kondeti in response to the controversy.
YCP leader Ambati Rambabu took to the media, alleging that he was deliberately targeted in the film "Bro," with certain scenes and dialogues being inserted to portray him negatively. This dispute escalated to a political dimension at one point.
Along with these, Balayya's comments saying Akkineni, Thokkaneni, Neech Kamine Kutte, and director Venkatesh Maha's comments on KGF became controversial. Differences between Manchu's siblings also surfaced this year.
