Old hits, new whistles: How re-releases are reshaping Tollywood

The first quarter of 2025 has seen a notable uptick in re-releases within Telugu cinema. As many as nine titles — including Sye, Salaar, Naa Autograph, Seethamma Vakitlo Sirimalle Chettu, Yuganiki Okkadu, Salaar, Yevade Subramanyam, Aditya 369, Arya 2 — have returned to the big screen since January, drawing consistent audience interest. What started as a post-pandemic experiment has now evolved into a full-fledged trend, with fans filling theatres to relive memorable moments from the big screen. With films like Bharath Ane Nenu and Falaknuma Das lined up for the summer, Hyderabad Times explores what’s driving this wave of nostalgia, how the experience resonates with audiences, and what it means for the industry.


Actor Nani recently shared a special experience of watching his film 2019 Jersey on the big screen with his son. “It was his first time seeing the film. He was sitting next to me, and there were a lot of fans screaming and cheering. During the interval scene when Ronit bows to me, the entire theatre turned towards us and bowed. That was my Jersey moment. My son didn’t understand why the audience was doing that, and I remember the look on his face — it was worth everything.”
From a producer’s standpoint, this trend of re-releasing films is not only nostalgic but profitable. “It’s a collective celebration and shared experience that brings audiences back to theatres. When a few of these films originally released, the younger generation were still children. Watching them again years later is a way of revisiting a piece of their childhood — it rekindles something inside them,” says producer Yalamanchili Ravi Shankar.
However, not all films enjoy the same fate at the box office upon re-release, opines Suresh Babu. “Yes, most films make a profit, but there are some that fail or don’t do well. There are always two sides. Very few have collected a significant amount of money. We re-released Ee Nagaraniki Emaindi, which was a big hit despite already being available on YouTube and other platforms — it had a terrific opening and did extremely well at the box office. But another film featuring Siddhu Jonnalagadda, though a fair success initially, didn’t gain much traction upon re-release. So, different films have different outcomes,” he explains.
"It’s like reliving the excitement and celebration the film first received when it was initially released. Audiences return for the iconic dialogues and whistle-worthy moments, enjoying them as part of a shared experience, something that simply can’t be replicated when watching them at home"
– Suresh Babu
"My son watched Jersey with me for the first time. That moment was priceless"
–Nani, in an recent interview
"When a few of these films originally released, the younger generation were still children. Watching them again years later is a way of revisiting a piece of their childhood — it rekindles something inside them"
– Yalamanchili Ravi Shankar, producer
– Divya Shree