Mid-Year Blues: Can June Save Telugu Cinema’s 2025 Slump?

Halfway into 2025, the Telugu film industry is in an unusual dry spell. With only two notable hits Victory Venkatesh’s Sankranthiki Vasthunnam and the courtroom drama Court: State Vs Nobody it’s been a lukewarm first six months. The much-hyped summer window fizzled out without delivering box office fireworks. Now, as June reaches its midway mark, the spotlight turns to the third week, where both theatrical and streaming platforms are loaded with promising releases.

One of the biggest gambles comes in the form of Kuberaa, helmed by Sekhar Kammula and featuring a powerhouse cast of Dhanush, Nagarjuna, and Rashmika Mandanna. Slated for a June 20 release, the film is said to blend suspense and drama, and trade circles are watching closely to see if it breaks the current streak of disappointments.

Also hitting cinemas on June 20 is 8 Vasantalu, the comeback film of director Phanindra Narisetty after nearly seven years. Backed by Mythri Movie Makers, this film introduces Ananthika Sanalkumar in a leading role.

Meanwhile, Bollywood steps in with Sitaare Zameen Par, Aamir Khan’s latest venture co-starring Genelia and directed by RS Prasanna. Based on the Spanish film Champions, it brings emotional drama with a familiar perfectionist polish.

For viewers staying in, the OTT slate is bustling. Netflix drops Grenfell: Uncovered and new episodes of The Great Indian Kapil Show. Jio Hotstar offers Kerala Crime Files S2, Found S2, and Surviving Ohio State. ZEE5 fills its week with Detective Sherdil, Ground Zero, and Prince Family, while Sun NXT joins the mix with Aap Kaise Ho. With so much lined up, this could finally be the week the industry turns its luck around—or at least finds a glimmer of momentum in the digital space.