Kingdom teaser: Although we are now in the second half of the year, Telugu cinema’s performance has been relatively dull in 2025, despite the release of several high-profile films headlined by stars like Nandamuri Balakrishna (Daaku Maharaaj), Daggubati Venkatesh (Sankranthiki Vasthunam), Nani (HIT: The Third Case), Ram Charan (Game Changer) and Naga Chaitanya (Thandel). Not only has the industry failed to deliver a full-fledged Tollywood blockbuster in these months, but even the star vehicles have struggled to impress audiences and have underperformed at the box office.
Now, the Telugu film industry is gearing up for one of the most anticipated face-offs of the year, as Pawan Kalyan’s Hari Hara Veera Mallu: Part 1 and Vijay Deverakonda’s Kingdom are set to release just a week apart.
Malayalam cinema 6-month report card | Disappointment of most hyped movie, tables turning between superstars and more
Ahead of Kingdom’s late-July premiere, the makers unveiled a new promo on Monday, confirming the release date and significantly raising expectations. Much like the earlier teasers, this one also is sharply edited, offering just enough to keep the hype sky-high while deliberately withholding answers to the million-dollar questions. Even as the February teaser introduced Vijay’s character as the “emperor”, the new 44-second video opens with him in a constable’s uniform, standing among many fellow officers.
The promo then quickly cuts to a series of shots of Vijay Deverakonda in various settings and avatars, with only one thing as constant: his no-holds-barred attitude while taking on rivals. Soon, we hear the now-familiar line, “I will do anything, sir. If needed, I will burn everything,” accompanied by Anirudh Ravichander’s electrifying score, setting the stage for a cinematic experience unlike anything seen before in Telugu cinema.
Watch Kingdom teaser here:
Bankrolled by Naga Vamsi S and Sai Soujanya under the banners of Sithara Entertainments and Fortune 4 Cinemas, respectively, Kingdom is written and directed by Gowtam Tinnanuri. The movie boasts cinematography by Jomon T John and Girish Gangadharan, editing by Navin Nooli and production design by Avinash Kolla. Kingdom will hit the screens on July 31, a week after Hari Hara Veera Mallu’s July 24 debut.