Dull February for Tollywood, all eyes on March 2026 biggies

February turned out to be a disappointing month for Telugu cinema. Despite multiple releases, the box office remained largely silent with no major success to cheer about.

Films like Funky, Euphoria, Couple Friendly, Hey Balwanth, Nawab Café, and Vishnu Vinyasam hit theatres through the month. Except for “Couple Friendly”, which managed a modest run, the rest failed to generate meaningful box office traction.

With February ending on a dull note, trade circles are now pinning strong hopes on March 2026, which brings a mix of straight Telugu biggies and pan-Indian spectacles.

Sree Vishnu’s Mrithyunjay opens March

Sree Vishnu begins the month with “Mrithyunjay,” slated for March 6. The investigative thriller’s trailer has sparked curiosity and created decent pre-release buzz.

The first week will also see smaller releases like “Sampradayini Suppini Suddapoosani” Varalaxmi’s “Saraswathi” and “Sathi Leelavathi,” adding variety to the lineup.

Band Melam targets mid-March

March 13 will witness the arrival of “Band Melam,” set against a Telangana backdrop. The film reunites the young pair of Sridevi and Harsh Roshan after their successful outing in “Court” and is being aggressively promoted. Trade analysts see it as a potential youth draw if word of mouth clicks.

March 19: Toxic vs Dhurandhar 2 clash

The biggest box office clash of the month arrives on March 19 with Toxic and Dhurandhar 2.

Kannada superstar Yash, who became a pan-India phenomenon after KGF Chapter 1 and KGF Chapter 2, headlines “Toxic”, directed by Geetu Mohandas. The gangster period drama features an impressive ensemble including Nayanthara, Kiara Advani, Rukmini Vasanth, Tara Sutaria, and Huma Qureshi. The Telugu rights have been acquired by Dil Raju, who plans a massive release across Telugu states.

On the other side is Ranveer Singh’s “Dhurandhar 2”, which is carrying tremendous hype. The first part, Dhurandhar, created new box office records upon release. Though it did not have a Telugu-dubbed version at the time, its Hindi version alone reportedly collected a whopping Rs 60 crore across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

Now, with “Dhurandhar 2” releasing in Telugu as well, expectations are significantly higher. Trade circles believe the sequel’s direct Telugu release could expand its footprint further, making the March 19 clash even more intense and unpredictable.

March 26: Ustaad Bhagat Singh frenzy

The biggest straight Telugu release of the month is undoubtedly “Ustaad Bhagat Singh,” hitting theatres on March 26.

Whenever Pawan Kalyan arrives on the big screen, the frenzy is unmatched. The film, directed by Harish Shankar, marks their reunion after “Gabbar Singh.” With music by Devi Sri Prasad and popular tracks already trending, the film is expected to dominate the final week of March.

After a sluggish February, Tollywood is betting big on March 2026. With star power, festival-like releases, and a major pan-India clash, the industry hopes to finally revive box office momentum.