Most people are of the opinion that Telugu movies are all about action but in reality, Tollywood produces a fair share of movies through the year that are an amalgamation of drama, music, action and love. They are a complete paisa-vasool entertainment and must be watched by all.
After the spectacular and recurrent successes of the recent Telugu hit movies like Bahubali, KGF and Pushpa, the Telugu film industry has out-shined like never before. And, Tollywood industry emerged as one of the leading film industries in the country.
So, if you haven’t watched any Telugu movies yet then this blog is your cue to start watching now! Here is a list of 25 Telugu movies that you must watch. Come, get introduced to a new world of engaging storytelling and marvelous performances.
Best Telugu Movies
BHAAUBALI PART 1 & 2
The first in this list has to be everyone favourite, the series of Baahubali. This magnum piece of creation with excellent story writing, acting and production value is a must watch movie for every film lover. This was not only the number 1 Telugu movie in terms of gross earnings but also helped revamp the whole image of Telugu cinema across the globe. It has set the highest standards of filmmaking and gave a new perspective to aspiring artists of the film industry.
This is the story of a tribal warrior who has extraordinary powers and how he regains his lost kingdom and rights of his people. It’s a beautiful depiction of fiction and emotional touch with the right engaging acting featuring the best actors from the South.
PUSHPA
Another pick from the list of the latest Telugu movies would be the widely popular movie, Pushpa. One of the most important reasons that this is a must watch, is lead actor Allu Arjun’s performance. His portrayal of a laborer rising among the smugglers of sandalwood is amazing and a performance to watch out for.
One of the biggest superstars of South getting into the skin of the character and engaging the audience till last moment is one aspect that all film creators and actors have learnt from. The performance and storytelling were so strong that the audience across the globe were able to connect and relate with. With a 7.9 IMDB ranking, this Telugu movie cannot be missed at any cost and is must watch.
RRR
Which is No 1 movie in Telugu? RRR! The second-best creation from the famous director, SS Rajamouli, after Baahubali franchise in Telugu films is this movie that became a huge hit in 2022. This story is set in British era where a fearless revolutionary office played by Ram Charan decided to join forces and fight for the freedom.
The story is inspired by the lives of Rama Raju and Bheem. Rajamouli heard their story and got thinking as to what would have happened if they had met. With a budget of ₹550 crore, RRR is reported to be the most expensive Indian film till date. This film also stars Jr. NTR, Bollywood’s leading lady, Alia Bhatt and the ever gracious, Ajay Devgn.
KGF
If we’re talking about Telugu cinema and we don’t talk about rocky Bhai, it would be like talking about Bollywood without Amitabh Bachchan. KGF has changed the dynamics of Tollywood and South industry in India. It is a hardcore masala movie with great performances. KGF part 1 & 2 have been massive successes around the globe and have given the lead actor, Yash, big fame and glory.
SITA RAMAM
One of the recent hit Telugu movies is Sita Ramam starring Dalquer, Mrunal Thakur and Rashmika Mandana. The movie is a romantic drama that revolves around an Indian army officer who is an orphan and receives love letters from girl named Sita Ramam. The whole journey of finding out the girl and proposing his love to her is a breath of fresh air in today’s love stories’ content bucket. The IMDB rating is close to 8 and was a huge commercial success among the audience.
MAJOR
Another hit from the recent Telugu movie releases is movie Major that is inspired by true events. This film is based on the life of Major Unnikrishnan, who was martyred in the 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai. Everyone knows about the terror attacks but no one knew about Major Unnikrishnan’s contribution and sacrifice for the nation. A great performance and an even greater storytelling, this is a must watch.
SARILERU NEEKEVVARU
One of the biggest hits of 2020 was the Telugu movies Sarileru Neekevvaru, starring Mahesh babu and Rashmika Mandana, this movie is an action-comedy entertainer. With a budget of 75 crore, the movie was able to collect a gross earnings of 250 crores. Ajay, an army major played by Mahesh babu, journeys to Kurnool when he is assigned a covert mission. However, he finds himself in the middle of a major scam and sets out to uncover the truth.
JERSEY
This movie starts famous South star, Nani, who has played the role of a struggling cricketer. The movie showcases how he does not give up on his dream of becoming a professional cricketer at the age of 30. The film has been deemed of as the best Telugu movie and backed by two national awards. The performance is so real and relatable between father and son that you won’t miss a single frame in the movie and will be glued till the end.
NUVVU NAAKU NACHAV
If you are looking out to spend your weekend on light note with some entertainment then Nuvvu Naaku Nachav is the movie that you should watch! It’s a light hearted romantic comedy that follows the story of Venky played by South superstar, Venkatesh. The story showcases an unemployed Venky moving to Hyderabad for job and his love story. The movie was huge hit and was remade in different languages including Tamil, Kannada and Bengali.
C/O KANCHARAPALEM
With an IMDB rating of 8.3, this Telugu creation was showcased at various film festivals and was applauded most at the New York film festival. It’s a slice of life anthology showcasing four different love stories based in Kancharpalem. Its available on Netflix is a must watch for everyone.
PRASTHANAM
This movie is political drama released in 2010 which is still relevant and entertaining to the audience even today. This was superstar Krishnan’s debut movie. The film has got two film fare awards and has been deemed in the list of 25 greatest films by film companion. The film is available on YouTube and various OTT platforms. The story revolves around revenge and political power as the lead character Baldev Pratap Singh chooses his stepson as his heir making his biological son feel betrayed.
VEDAM
If you are looking forward to see all your favourite Telugu superstars in one movie with 5 different stories then Vedam is a must watch for you. This Telugu movies has not one or two but five charcters in the lead – one slum dweller, one rockstar, one prostitute, an old villager, and one Muslim man that come face to face with one another, one night in the hospital. And an chaos ensued.
The characters are performed by famous names like Allu Arjun, Anushka Shetty, Manoj Bajpayee, Manchu Manoj, Deeksha Seth, Lekha Washington, and Saranya Ponvannan. The film was awarded with four Filmfare awards.
GAMYAM
It’s a Telugu-road film that was released in 2004 and was based on a biopic, The Motorcycle Diaries. This is story of two guys and one thief who meet on the journey. The rich character seeks out to find his love and the film show cases the journey of self-discovery when he meets the other guys. The film received four Filmfare awards and Nandi awards for exceptional story telling.
ADITYA 369
If you are hardcore sci-fi lover then we do have one of best Telugu science fiction films that was released back in 1991. The film stars big South names like Nandamuri Balakrishna and Mohini in the lead roles, supported by actors like the late Amrish Puri, Tinnu Anand, and Suthivelu. The film is one of the very few science fiction films in the Telugu film industry and was inspired by H. G. Wells’ 1895 novel “The Time Machine.”
DRUSHYAM
The original Drushyam is a perfect thriller that keeps you on the edge of the seat. It is simple story of cable operator who tries to protect his family for an accidental crime. The movie was remade in Bollywood with Ajay Devgn and was a massive hit. South superstar Venkatesh carried the whole movie on his shoulders and there is not even a single minute where you can take your eyes off the screen.
AHA NAA-PELLANTA!
This is comedy flix that was released in 1987 and still is hilarious to watch. The film is considered to be one of the best comedy films of all time in Telugu cinema and was later remade in different languages. The story of three characters is simple and is a perfect laughter therapy for anyone and everyone.
RANGASTHALAM
This piece of epic action-drama creation was created back in 2018 with two of popular South superstars. It is a typical masala entertainer which showcases the story of two brothers against the corrupt government. The film has a cast of the Best South Hero Actors Samantha Prabhu, Dhanush, Ram Charan giving power-packed performances. If you want something entertaining, this is the movie you should watch.
YEVADU
With an amazing and interesting storyline, Yevadu is a must watch Telugu movie for young audiences who love hardcore action movies. This is story of a man who gets a totally new face after face surgery and takes revenge from the attackers who killed his girlfriend. Two of the biggest superstars, Ram Charan Teja and Allu Arjun take the charge of the performances and keep you glued till the end with their power-packed performances.
GABBAR SINGH
Another one of the biggest hits in Telugu industry starring the power star Pavan Kalayan is this movie Gabbar Singh. It is a proper action-comedy movie with all elements of entertainment. The main protagonist is a cop but he names himself Gabbar Singh, the famous Bollywood don from movie Sholay. The rest of story involves fights against the goons in the village filled with drama and romance through the film.
MAHANATI
This is epic biopic based on the life of legendary Telugu actress Savitri Mahanti. The film was highly acclaimed by critics and went on to become the highest-grossing female-centric South Indian film. The film has a powerful start cast – Keerthy Suresh, playing Savitri, and Dalquer Salmaan as his Telugu debut as Savitri’s.
EVARU
Undoubtedly Telugu movies create the best suspense thrillers ever. This is a nail-biting Telugu crime thriller film, starring famous South actor Adivi Sesh, Regina Cassandra, Naveen Chandra, and Murali Sharma.
The story is about an inspector named Vikram, who is designated to investigate the murder of high-ranking police official, who was said to be murdered by an alleged rape victim. As he starts the investigation, lot of surprises start to unfold. To know the end results, go check out the movie yourself. Watch Evaru on Amazon Prime Video right now.
MAGEEDHEERA
Most respected film director SS Rajamouli created this masterpiece back in 2009. This Telugu movie was way ahead of its time and the film was based on the theme of incarnation. It features our favourite South actor and South actress Ram Charan Teja and Kajal Aggarwal. This was a timeless love story set in a different timeline. It is a fascinating love story set in prehistoric era and how the couple reunites after 400 years.
MANMADHUDU
Manmadhudu is a romantic comedy that was released back in 2002. It stars the South superstar Nagarjuna Akkineni, Bollywood actress Sonali Bendre, and Anshu Ambani. It’s about the story of a man who despises women but has to deal with them on a daily basis as his workplace is full of women but how one woman helped change his perspective. Watch Manmadhudu on Disney+ Hotstar right now.
MALLISWARI
A 2004 film, Malliswari is a romantic-comedy film directed by K. Vijaya Bhaskar while the music is given by Koti. The story revolves around the heiress of Raja of Mirzapur. The story revolves around a property that Bhavani Shankar wants to inherit after killing the heiress.
ARJUN REDDY
The list cannot be incomplete without this blockbuster hit starring Vijay Deverkonda. That not was a popular choice for youngsters but was such a huge success that it was remade in Bollywood that starred Shahid Kapoor and Kiara Advani. It released in 2017 and garnered critical reviews by many, but all the love that the youngsters gave was enough for this film to be the highlight over all these years. Not then but even now, the film has a lot of fans. It’s no surprise that one will answer Arjun Reddy when asked, “Which Telugu movie has highest rating?”
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