Nandamuri Balakrishna on the poster of Akhanda 2.
Credit: Special Arrangement
After missing the press show last evening, the highly anticipated Akhanda 2 Thaandavam, starring Nandamuri Balakrishna, has now been pulled from the theaters, causing a major setback for the 'God of Masses' and his sea of fans.
Helmed by Boyapati Sreenu, Akhanda 2 Thaandavam was originally slated for release on Friday but has now been delayed, causing a major embarrassment to the legendary actor and his ardent fans.
On Thursday night, production house, 14 Reels Plus, took to social media, saying that the movie has been postponed due to 'unavoidable circumstances'.
It wrote, "With a heavy heart, we regret to inform you that #Akhanda2 will not be releasing as scheduled due to unavoidable circumstances. This is a painful moment for us, and we truly understand the disappointment it brings to every fan and movie lover awaiting the film. We are working tirelessly to resolve the matter at the earliest. Our sincere apologies for the inconvenience caused. Your support means the world to us. We promise to share a positive update very soon." (sic)
However, it has been reported that the postponement of the movie is due to a financial feud between the production house and Eros International Media.
The Madras High Court recently passed an order restraining the release of Akhanda 2 Thaandavam after Eros International Media Limited approached the court.
Eros holds an arbitral award of around Rs 28 crore against 14 Reels Entertainment Pvt Ltd, a group entity linked to the producers. The company argued that releasing the film under the banner 14 Reels Plus LLP could be seen as an attempt to sidestep these financial obligations. A division bench, therefore, issued an injunction barring any theatrical, streaming, or commercial release of the film until further orders, The Economic Times reported.
The court’s interference and unresolved financial disputes have left the movie Akhanda 2 Thaandavam in a state of indefinite uncertainty.
While all efforts are being made to resolve the issue amicably and bring the movie into theaters by this evening, especially given the sequel’s strong pre-release momentum.
Insiders suggest that the release of Balakrishna's movie will be delayed further, and the Telugu cine industry is in a state of shock at this roadblock to Balayya's movie.
The return of the powerful Akhanda avatar is delayed as the focus now shifts entirely to the producers and investors to resolve the legal and monetary issues swiftly and secure a new release date.
Akhanda 2 marks the fourth collaboration between director Boyapati Sreenu and Balakrishna, a collaboration famous for delivering blockbuster movies. Their first project came in 2010, Simha (co-starring Nayanthara and Sneha Ullal) and was a box office hit. This success was followed by their second blockbuster, Legend (2014). Their third film, Akhanda (2021), achieved their biggest success and became a major blockbuster packed with powerful scenes and crowd-pleasing dialogue.