In this episode, Chaitu and Sandy sit down to share their take on They Call Him OG. We dive into why this film has become a blockbuster, how Thaman’s powerful soundtrack elevated the entire experience, and how director Sujeeth – a true fanboy of Pawan Kalyan – managed to bring his dream project to life on the big screen.
We also picked some of the best fan questions from X (Twitter) and had a fun time answering them. If you’re a Pawan Kalyan fan or just curious why They Call Him OG has captured so much hype, this conversation is for you.
The Tollywood Project’s latest podcast episode delves into the Telugu film industry’s top performers of 2024, offering a comprehensive review of the year’s cinematic offerings. Hosts Chaitu and Sandy share their insights on the best, average, and worst Telugu movies of the year, providing listeners with a nuanced perspective on the industry’s hits and misses.
Listen to the full episode here:
A disclaimer to start with – We at The Tollywood Project would like to clarify that our movie selections are influenced by the limited access to Telugu films available on streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime in our respective countries. Due to geographical restrictions, we primarily view major releases that make it to cinemas, which can limit our exposure to the full spectrum of Telugu cinema. Our judgements and opinions are based on personal preferences and experiences, and may not necessarily reflect the views of the general audience
Best Telugu Movies of 2024
Chaitu’s top picks for the year include “Hanuman,” “Devara,” and “Sundaram Master.” These films stood out for their compelling storytelling, strong performances, and overall production quality. Sandy’s list of best movies differs slightly, featuring “Devara,” “Lucky Bhasker,” and “Guntur Kaaram.” The inclusion of “Devara” on both lists underscores its impact on audiences and critics alike.
Average Performers
In the average category, Chaitu places “Tillu Square,” “Pushpa 2,” and “Kalki.” Interestingly, “Pushpa 2” finds itself in this category despite its massive box office success, suggesting that commercial triumph doesn’t always equate to critical acclaim[1]. Sandy’s average list includes “Saripodha Sanivaaram,” “Pushpa 2,” and “Kalki,” aligning closely with Chaitu’s selections.
Both hosts express disappointment with “Saripodha Sanivaaram,” feeling it was overhyped. Sandy, despite being a fan of director Vivek Atreya, shares this sentiment, highlighting the sometimes unpredictable nature of audience reception.
Chaitu also mentions two honorable mentions in the average category: “Swag” and “Om Bheem Bush,” both starring Sri Vishnu. These additions provide a broader perspective on the year’s mid-tier releases.
Disappointments and Worst Performers
“Mathu Vadalara 2” failed to meet Chaitu’s expectations, falling short of the hype surrounding its release. In the worst category, Chaitu singles out “Family Star” as the year’s biggest letdown. Sandy points to “Mr Bachchan” and “Buddy” as particularly disappointing entries in 2024’s lineup.
Standout Performances
The hosts also recognize individual contributions to Telugu cinema in 2024. Chaitu names Allu Arjun as the hero of the year, citing his dedication and hard work for “Pushpa 2.” Sandy, on the other hand, crowns Nani as his hero of the year, praising his consistent delivery of quality films and his efforts to nurture new directorial talent in the industry.
For heroines, Chaitu highlights Bhagyashree Borse for the buzz she generated around “Mr Bachchan.” Sandy opts for Meenakshi Chaudary, noting her impressive trajectory from a minor role in “Guntur Kaaram” to a powerful performance in “Lucky Bhasker,” as well as her work in “Mechanic Rocky” and “Matka.”
Looking Ahead to Sankranthi 2025
The podcast also offers a glimpse into the future, with Chaitu predicting “Daaku Maharaaj” as the potential winner for Sankranthi 2025. He expresses interest in “Sankrathi ki Vasthunam” as a light-hearted option amidst heavier pan-Indian releases. The hosts discuss “Game Changer,” with Chaitu suggesting that avoiding becoming “troll material” would be a success in itself for this highly anticipated film.
Sandy, however, notes a lack of excitement building up to Sankranthi 2025, attributing this to the annual controversies surrounding release date clashes, schedule reshuffling, and theater availability issues for smaller productions.
Conclusion
The Tollywood Project’s year-end review provides a comprehensive look at Telugu cinema in 2024, balancing commercial success with critical reception. From blockbusters to disappointments, the podcast offers valuable insights into the industry’s dynamics. As the hosts look ahead to Sankranthi 2025, their discussion reflects the ever-evolving nature of Telugu cinema and the challenges it faces in satisfying diverse audience expectations.
This episode of The Tollywood Project serves as an essential guide for Telugu film enthusiasts, offering a thoughtful analysis of the year’s cinematic landscape and setting the stage for exciting developments in the coming year.
As the year winds down and we look back on 2024, we Sandy and Chaitu, the hosts of The Tollywood Project wanted to share an honest update with all of you our cherished listeners. It has been a year of immense joy, growth and challenges and while our podcast episodes may have been sparse this year, our commitment to storytelling and connecting with you remains unwavering.
Why we hit Pause more often this year
When we launched The Tollywood Project our dream was to create a space where Telugu enthusiasts could come together to explore, reminisce, debate, and celebrate a wide range of topics. From dissecting the magic of Telugu cinema to diving into fascinating bits of history or even random yet thought-provoking discussions, every episode has been a labor of love for us. However, 2024 brought about significant life changes for both of us that required our attention and energy in ways we hadn’t fully anticipated.
Work Commitments
Both of us found ourselves deeply engrossed in our professional lives this year. As much as we love podcasting it’s not our full-time gig. Our respective careers demanded more focus with challenging projects and tighter deadlines. Finding time to research, record and edit episodes became increasingly difficult amidst our packed schedules. As much as we missed our conversations and connecting with all of you we had to prioritize the demands of our day jobs to ensure stability and growth in our personal and professional lives.
Welcoming New Beginnings
The most joyous and transformative part of this year though, was the arrival of new members to our families. Both Chaitu and Sandy became proud fathers to beautiful newborns and these little bundles of joy brought immeasurable happiness into our lives. While the late-night feeds, diaper changes and lullabies were exhausting they were also moments filled with love and gratitude.
Parenthood as many of you know is a full-time commitment especially during the first year. Balancing the responsibilities of being new parents alongside our work left us with little time to dedicate to the podcast. We’re sure many of you can relate to the whirlwind of emotions and adjustments that come with welcoming a new baby into your life.
Staying connected despite the pause
Even though our episodes have been few and far between, we’ve been incredibly grateful for the continued support and messages from our listeners. Every DM asking about the next episode, every comment reminiscing about past discussions and every suggestion for future topics has reminded us why we started this podcast in the first place.
To those who patiently waited for new episodes thank you for understanding our silence and celebrating our milestones from afar. Your encouragement has meant the world to us.
Lessons learnt this year
2024 taught us a lot about balance, priorities and the power of community. Here are some key takeaways we’d love to share:
It’s Okay to Pause Life sometimes throws curveballs and it’s okay to take a step back and reassess. We’ve learned that slowing down doesn’t mean stopping; it’s about gathering the strength to move forward with more intention.
Cherish the Small Wins Whether it was a short brainstorming session for the podcast or responding to a listener’s message celebrating small wins kept us motivated and connected to our passion.
Community Matters The Tollywood Project isn’t just about us; it’s about you—our listeners. Your unwavering support has been a reminder that what we’re building here is bigger than the sum of its parts.
Looking Ahead to 2025
So what does the future hold for The Tollywood Project?
First let us reassure you that we’re not going anywhere! Our passion for Telugu cinema and the stories that shape our culture is as strong as ever. While we may not have been able to produce as many episodes this year as we wanted, we’re excited to hit the ground running in 2025 with fresh ideas and renewed energy.
Here are a few things you can look forward to:
More Consistent Episodes: Now that we’re settling into our new routines we plan to carve out dedicated time for the podcast.
Exciting Topics: The most easiest topics to record are of movie related and the most challenging ones are about history, which require some research and getting the facts right. This new year, we will restart our topics on history and we will make sure you love them just like how adore the episodes on World Wars, Dokka Seethamma, Singapore and many more.
Listener Engagement: From live Q&A sessions to interactive polls we’re committed to making you a bigger part of our journey. After all The Tollywood Project is a community effort.
A Heartfelt Thank You
As we close the book on 2024 we want to take a moment to thank you all for sticking with us through this rollercoaster of a year. To those who’ve listened, shared and supported us you are the heartbeat of The Tollywood Project. Your love for cinema and this community keeps us inspired.
Here’s to a new year filled with meaningful conversations, unforgettable films and the shared joy of storytelling. We can’t wait to embark on this next chapter with you.
Wishing you all a wonderful holiday season and a fantastic start to 2025. Let’s make it a blockbuster year!
Discussed about the current season of combacks. Pawan Kalyan emerging as a game changer in Andhra Pradesh politics, Prabhas making a strong comeback through the blockbuster Kalki, Team India winning a world cup after a long wait.
All about how excited are we about Sankranthi 2024 movies. Especially after watching the trailer of Guntur Kaaram, we are recording this episode immediately to share our excitement with you. We have also discussed the recent comments from ManiSharma to offer him chances to make music along with Thaman. Also more about the other Sankrathi movies like Saindhav, Naa Saami Ranga and Hanuman.
In this episode we talk about our top 3 picks of Telugu movies of 2023 in different categories like Worst, Average, Best movies. Also introducing new categories this year like Best Song, Best Dubbed Movie, Best Meme of the year
The resurrection of Prabhas after three back to back flops is here. In this episode we discussed about how Salaar initially seemed to be heading towards a disaster but then how Prashanth Neel uses Prabhas to head this move towards a blockbuster.
It is all about the Indian Blockbuster of the year, Animal. We discussed about what went well and what went bad about this movie. How did Sandeep Reddy Vanga threw away into the trash about the notions everyone had about making a movie. Will this be a resurgence of new age film making in India?
The Tollywood Project 