Three years ago, Baby, starring Anand Deverakonda and Vaishnavi Chaitanya, emerged as a sensational blockbuster.
However, director Sai Rajesh believes the same film would struggle to achieve even half of its original box-office collections if it were released today.
Speaking about the current state of the industry, Sai Rajesh painted a stark picture of the challenges facing filmmakers.
According to him, theatrical revenues have declined significantly, making it increasingly difficult for producers to recover their investments.
He also questioned the credibility of digital metrics that dominate film promotions today.
The filmmaker noted that views and records associated with songs, teasers and trailers are no longer reliable indicators of genuine public interest, as many promotional campaigns depend on artificial boosting methods.
As a result, he said, it has become harder to determine whether content is truly connecting with audiences.
Sai Rajesh further pointed out that revenues have fallen even for big-ticket films, while the situation is far more challenging for small and medium-budget projects that lack major star power.
In his view, the industry is passing through one of its toughest phases, with filmmakers finding it increasingly difficult to gauge audience sentiment and generate sustainable returns.
