After playing fearless and invincible action heroes for years, Telugu stars are now exploring a different side of masculinity by portraying husbands who find themselves caught in domestic conflicts and often have to give in to their wives. Industry observers say this is emerging as a new trend in Tollywood, with several leading actors joining the bandwagon.
“It is a new trend in Tollywood and many heroes are joining the party,” says writer Kona Venkat. “However, I don’t like to call it a submissive role. Rather, it is a typical husband character that is highly relatable to audiences and reflects real-life situations. Actors have to play all kinds of roles, and playing a husband is also part of their job.”
Seasoned star Venkatesh appears to be the frontrunner when it comes to such characters. He has delivered hits such as F2 and Sankranthiki Vasthunam with roles that see him caught in domestic conflicts and often at the receiving end of his wife’s ire. His upcoming film Adarsha Kutumbam also seems to follow a similar template, with his character complaining about his wife while admiring the girl next door.
“Venkatesh is one of the most sought-after actors for such roles because he has a huge following among household and family audiences. He scores well with these characters and carries them off with considerable ease,” Kona Venkat adds.
Even action hero megastar Chiranjeevi embraced a similar avatar in the blockbuster Mana Sankara Varaprasad Garu, playing a soft-spoken husband who endures insults from his strong-willed wife, portrayed by Nayanthara. The film revolved around an estranged couple attempting to mend their relationship, with their children adding emotional weight to the story. Chiranjeevi’s character repeatedly tries to reconcile with his wife while also providing plenty of comic moments.
“Probably, Chiranjeevi wanted to do something different this time. He entertained audiences with his comic timing instead of relying entirely on his action image, and the response was overwhelming,” says producer D. Suresh Babu.
Ravi Teja has also explored the territory, playing a dutiful husband in Bharta Mahasayulaku Vignapthi and taking up another family-oriented role in his upcoming film Irumudi. Young actor Sharwanand, too, played a husband in Nari Nari Naduma Murari. However, Suresh Babu believes that simply following a successful formula does not guarantee success.
“If one film becomes a massive success, it is natural for others to attempt similar themes because audiences have liked that particular kind of characters and storytelling. Filmmaking is a business at the end of the day, and people pick up anything that works,” he says.
He also sounds a word of caution. “Even a successful formula needs proper execution and engaging treatment. Sometimes, those elements can be missing,” he notes.
According to Suresh Babu, family dramas packed with comedy, multiple characters and recurring conflicts between couples have become a winning combination during the Sankranthi season.
“Family dramas have brought audiences back to theatres. These Sankranthi films made strong numbers and brought back a festive atmosphere to theatres,” he explains.
Asked whether Telugu filmmakers are likely to continue exploring similar themes during future Sankranthi and Dasara seasons, Suresh Babu says it is quite possible. “Theatres are seeing strong footfalls for wholesome family entertainers during festivals. So, we could see filmmakers returning to similar themes next year as well,” he says.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: deccanchronicle.com
