Gautam gave Toxic just half a star after its release on August 26, and the rating quickly drew attention online.
Gautam’s account also showed low ratings for some of Mahesh Babu’s films, surprising fans who expected him to be more generous towards his father’s work.
A screenshot of Gautam Ghattamaneni's Letterboxd pageThat was particularly evident in his ratings for Mahesh Babu’s filmography.
The ratings prompted some fans to discuss Mahesh Babu’s recent filmography as well.
The discovery of Gautam’s account has since led fans to closely examine his ratings, particularly those of Mahesh Babu’s films and other major Indian releases.
Mahesh Babu’s son, Gautam Ghattamaneni, has become the centre of a social media debate after Telugu film fans discovered his Letterboxd account and noticed his ratings for several films, including some of his father’s movies and Yash’s Toxic. Gautam gave Toxic just half a star after its release on August 26, and the rating quickly drew attention online.
Gautam’s account also showed low ratings for some of Mahesh Babu’s films, surprising fans who expected him to be more generous towards his father’s work. The discussion then widened, with some fans calling his choices honest while others found them too harsh.
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The 20-year-old’s Letterboxd profile presents him as a film enthusiast who has watched more than 400 films across industries and genres. His ratings suggest that he does not appear to give films special treatment based simply on the people involved in them. A screenshot of Gautam Ghattamaneni's Letterboxd page
That was particularly evident in his ratings for Mahesh Babu’s filmography. Gautam gave 5 stars to Pokiri and 1: Nenokkadine, two films in which his father took on very different roles and, in the latter, a more unconventional approach. At the same time, he gave Nijam and Vamsi 2 stars each, while Brahmotsavam received just 1 star.
The ratings prompted some fans to discuss Mahesh Babu’s recent filmography as well. A section of them backed Gautam’s choices, arguing that the actor has not delivered his peak work in recent years. They pointed out that while Mahesh Babu has not had an outright failure recently, some of his newer successes have not had the same lasting impact as films such as Pokiri, Dookudu and Athadu.
Gautam’s choices, however, extend well beyond Telugu cinema. His Letterboxd ratings show an interest in films across languages and genres. He gave 5 stars to Sholay, Project Hail Mary, Knives Out and Jersey. The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day received 4.5 stars.
He also rated several Indian films highly. Baahubali 2 received 5 stars, while Pelli Choopulu and Sita Ramam received 4.5 stars each. Eega received 4 stars. His ratings for the Dhurandhar films were also different, with Dhurandhar 1 getting 4 stars and Dhurandhar 2 receiving 3 stars. The recent Telugu hit starring Ravi Teja, Irumudi, received 3 stars while Lokesh Kanagaraj’s DC received 4.
At the lower end of his ratings, Liger also received half a star like Toxic, while Prabhas’ Kalki 2898 AD got 2.5 stars.
Gautam’s half-star rating for Yash’s Toxic added another layer to the online discussion. The period gangster film received a mixed critical response despite its scale and ambitious storytelling.
Gautam’s rating therefore became another talking point among fans discussing the film’s reception. However, his overall Letterboxd activity suggests that Toxic was not singled out simply because of its star or language, with the young film enthusiast having given low ratings to several other films across industries.
The discovery of Gautam’s account has since led fans to closely examine his ratings, particularly those of Mahesh Babu’s films and other major Indian releases. His choices have also sparked a broader conversation about whether being the son of a superstar should influence someone’s opinion of their parent’s films.
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