<p>Nandamuri Balakrishna and director Boyapati Sreenu’s formula is predictable: a ruthless villain, Balakrishna in dual roles, some romance in the first half that gets disrupted by a massive crisis, and then Balakrishna unleashing his fury in the second half to take down the bad elements and restore justice. ‘Akhanda 2’, the sequel to ‘Akhanda’ (2021), mostly follows the same playbook.</p>.<p>The sequel opens in the shadow of the Galwan conflict, where a vengeful Chinese general, still seething over his son’s death, joins forces with a cunning strategist. Together, they conspire with a corrupt Indian politician to unleash a deadly bio-virus into the Ganges during the Maha Kumbha Mela. The Prime Minister turns to scientist Janani to develop a vaccine in Ladakh but the Chinese general’s team launches a brutal attack on her. The rest of the story deals with Akhanda’s efforts to save India.</p>.<p>Akhanda’s adventures unfold from Tibet to New Delhi, and rural Andhra Pradesh to the snow-clad Himalayas. It juggles multiple plot threads — from India’s spiritual fabric to ruthless drug cartels in Andhra Pradesh, the turmoil in Manipur, the Indian Army’s struggles, surgical strikes, a mother’s strained bond with her son, an Aghori’s mysterious world, and a high-stakes DRDO facility.</p>.'Your Letter' movie review: Reflective, gentle anime on kindness.<p>The film refers to the ‘Ramayana’ and the Vedas, detracting from the cinematic experience. In most scenes, the director prioritises entertainment over logic. Everything appears deliberately loud and shallow. The weak narration further derails the sequel.</p>.<p>The director borrows heavily from films like ‘Mahavatar Narasimha’ and ‘HanuMan’.</p>.<p>Action sequences are well-choreographed. The VFX and production design stand out. Cinematography by C Ramprasad and Santosh Detake needs a mention. While Balakrishna commands good screen presence, the rest of the cast is wasted.</p>.<p>The talk-heavy film with an incoherent screenplay is a test of patience.</p>
<p>Nandamuri Balakrishna and director Boyapati Sreenu’s formula is predictable: a ruthless villain, Balakrishna in dual roles, some romance in the first half that gets disrupted by a massive crisis, and then Balakrishna unleashing his fury in the second half to take down the bad elements and restore justice. ‘Akhanda 2’, the sequel to ‘Akhanda’ (2021), mostly follows the same playbook.</p>.<p>The sequel opens in the shadow of the Galwan conflict, where a vengeful Chinese general, still seething over his son’s death, joins forces with a cunning strategist. Together, they conspire with a corrupt Indian politician to unleash a deadly bio-virus into the Ganges during the Maha Kumbha Mela. The Prime Minister turns to scientist Janani to develop a vaccine in Ladakh but the Chinese general’s team launches a brutal attack on her. The rest of the story deals with Akhanda’s efforts to save India.</p>.<p>Akhanda’s adventures unfold from Tibet to New Delhi, and rural Andhra Pradesh to the snow-clad Himalayas. It juggles multiple plot threads — from India’s spiritual fabric to ruthless drug cartels in Andhra Pradesh, the turmoil in Manipur, the Indian Army’s struggles, surgical strikes, a mother’s strained bond with her son, an Aghori’s mysterious world, and a high-stakes DRDO facility.</p>.'Your Letter' movie review: Reflective, gentle anime on kindness.<p>The film refers to the ‘Ramayana’ and the Vedas, detracting from the cinematic experience. In most scenes, the director prioritises entertainment over logic. Everything appears deliberately loud and shallow. The weak narration further derails the sequel.</p>.<p>The director borrows heavily from films like ‘Mahavatar Narasimha’ and ‘HanuMan’.</p>.<p>Action sequences are well-choreographed. The VFX and production design stand out. Cinematography by C Ramprasad and Santosh Detake needs a mention. While Balakrishna commands good screen presence, the rest of the cast is wasted.</p>.<p>The talk-heavy film with an incoherent screenplay is a test of patience.</p>