By the numbers
- Films: 24 since 2009; 14 in the last ten years (cameos and guest appearances not counted)
- Recent films with figures: 10 of 14 since 2016
- Hits: 5 (4 blockbusters), average: 2, flops: 3 – a hit rate of 50%
- Average return: 1.79x budget; best: Majili 3.18x; weakest: Thank You 0.22x
- Biggest hit: Laal Singh Chaddha (2022), ₹132 cr
- Trend: last five films 1.57x on average, the five before 2.00x (down)
- Born: 1986-11-23
- Awards on Wikidata: 1
| Year | Film | Budget | Box office | Return | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Thandel | ₹75 cr | ₹100 cr | 1.33x | Average |
| 2023 | Custody | – | ₹16 cr | – | No figures |
| 2022 | Laal Singh Chaddha | ₹275 cr | ₹132 cr | 0.48x | Flop |
| 2022 | Thank You | ₹40 cr | ₹8.9 cr | 0.22x | Flop |
| 2022 | Bangarraju | ₹25 cr | ₹66 cr | 2.64x | Blockbuster |
| 2021 | Love Story | ₹30 cr | ₹95 cr | 3.17x | Blockbuster |
| 2019 | Venky Mama | ₹35 cr | ₹72 cr | 2.06x | Hit |
| 2019 | Majili | ₹22 cr | ₹70 cr | 3.18x | Blockbuster |
| 2018 | Savyasachi | ₹30 cr | ₹22 cr | 0.74x | Flop |
| 2018 | Shailaja Reddy Alludu | ₹24 cr | ₹37 cr | 1.54x | Average |
| 2017 | Yuddham Sharanam | – | ₹11 cr | – | No figures |
| 2017 | Rarandoi Veduka Chudham | ₹20 cr | ₹50 cr | 2.50x | Blockbuster |
| 2016 | Sahasam Swasaga Sagipo | ₹25 cr | – | – | No figures |
| 2016 | Premam | ₹20 cr | – | – | No figures |
The table above lists 14 films from the recent decade; 10 carry both budget and gross figures, and that sample defines this scorecard. As of 28 September 2026, the page records 24 films since 2009 and one award. Across the 10 measured Telugu releases, Naga Chaitanya has 5 hits, 4 blockbusters, 2 averages and 3 flops. The hit rate is 50% and the average multiple is 1.79, with a total reported gross of ₹679.9 cr.
What the numbers say
An average multiple of 1.79 means a typical measured film returns about 1.79 times its budget, but that average hides extremes. The recent decade accounts for 14 of the 24 films. Where figures are missing, Wikipedia carries none rather than a guess: Premam and Sahasam Swasaga Sipo lack gross figures, while Yuddham Sharanam and Custody lack budget, so no multiple can be calculated for them.
The hits and the misses
The biggest grosser in the table is Laal Singh Chaddha at ₹132.03 cr, but it is the least efficient major swing: a ₹275 cr budget produces a 0.48 multiple and a flop verdict. The weakest return is Thank You at ₹8.95 cr against a ₹40 cr budget, a 0.22 multiple. The best multiple is Majili at 3.18 on a ₹22 cr budget and ₹70 cr gross. Love Story (3.17) and Bangarraju (2.64) are the other strong multiples. Venky Mama’s 2.06 multiple is the steady middle.
The trend
The recent five measurable films are Love Story (3.17), Bangarraju (2.64), Thank You (0.22), Laal Singh Chaddha (0.48) and Thandel (1.33). That group averages 1.57. The five before them—Rarandoi Veduka Chudham (2.5), Shailaja Reddy Alludu (1.54), Savyasachi (0.74), Majili (3.18) and Venky Mama (2.06)—average 2.0. The slide is driven by the two 2022 flops and Thandel’s ordinary 1.33; Custody’s ₹15.85 cr gross sits outside the multiple trend because its budget is unlisted.
What it means for the actor’s next film and for the industry
For his next film, the numbers argue for mid-budget romantic dramas over large-canvas bets. Majili and Love Story deliver multiples above 3, while Laal Singh Chaddha and Thank You drag the average down. After Thandel’s OTT window, the safer benchmark is a leaner budget aimed directly at the Telugu audience rather than a ₹275 cr-style swing. The actor’s next project should be judged on multiple first, gross second.
For the industry, he is a 1.79-multiple actor across 10 measured films, but the recent five at 1.57 show the cost of scaling too far. The gap between the best multiple (3.18) and the worst (0.22) is wide, which makes budget discipline the real decision, not star power alone.
Figures: Naga Chaitanya on Wikipedia and each film’s page, read on 28 September 2026.
