The film's narrative actually begins in India, where an astrophysicist discovers the impending disaster.

Released in November 2009, this film dominated the Tollywood box office and sparked a brief trend of "Yugantham" (End of an Era/Apocalypse) themed cinema in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The Phenomenon: 2012 Yugantham (Telugu Dub)

These movies are time capsules. Watching Damarukam or Racha today isn't about fearing the end of the world. It is about appreciating how Tollywood took a global panic, filtered it through its own cultural lens of mythology and family drama, and produced a genre of "Apocalypse Masala" that is uniquely, wonderfully Telugu.

The year 2012 was a strange time globally. The world was gripped by the belief that the ancient Mayan calendar predicted a cataclysmic event on December 21, 2012—the end of the world, or “Yugantham” (The End of an Era). While Hollywood produced the disaster epic 2012 , the Telugu film industry (Tollywood) took a uniquely mythological and commercial spin on the prophecy.

Gabbar Singh represented the "Yugantham" of the subdued hero. The protagonist was eccentric, powerful, and deeply connected to the masses. The "Anthyaakshari" scene and the "Mandu Babu" song became legendary. The film’s massive success broke records previously held by the likes of Magadheera , signaling that the audience was ready for a new kind of madness—a mix of satire, heroism, and unbridled energy.

Starring Nagarjuna and Anushka Shetty, was a socio-fantasy film that revolved around the Shiva Purana . Although delayed in release, its core theme involved the "end of a cosmic cycle."