Release of Balakrishna's 'Akhanda 2: Thandaavam' postponed

Chennai, Aug 28 (IANS) Pointing out that the entire post-production process of director Boyapati Srinu's upcoming action entertainer 'Akhanda 2: Thandaavam' demanded meticulous attention and therefore required additional time, the makers of the film on Thursday announced that they had chosen to postpone the release of the film to a later date.

The film was originally scheduled to hit screens on September 25 this year.

The production house 14 Reels Plus, which is producing the film, took to its X timeline to make the announcement. It wrote, "Akhanda 2 brings back the blockbuster combination of 'God of Masses' Nandamuri Balakrishna and director Boyapati Sreenu, a duo celebrated for redefining mass action entertainers and creating some of the most iconic moments in Telugu cinema.

"Ever since its announcement, the film has stood as one of the most anticipated projects in Indian cinema, with the teaser creating a sensation across languages and amplifying expectations to a whole new level.

"For a film of this scale, the re-recording, VFX, and the entire post-production process demands meticulous attention, and therefore require additional time to present the film at its absolute best considering the weight of expectations Akhanda 2 carries following the blockbuster success of the first part.

"The team is really excited about this project and is working tirelessly, round the clock, to deliver Akhanda 2 on a truly unprecedented scale, with uncompromised quality, breathtaking visuals, and the ultimate theatrical impact. In light of this, we have decided to move the release to a later date that will be announced soon, instead of the originally scheduled September 25th."

The production house said it was fully committed to exceeding all expectations and giving audiences a theatrical experience worth the wait and added that Akhanda 2 would not just be a film, but a festival of cinema.

The film has triggered huge expectations among fans and film buffs, ever since the makers released a teaser of the film to mark the birthday celebrations of the film's lead actor Nandamuri Balakrishna.

The teaser introduced audiences to Balakrishna’s fiercely divine avatar in the film. It showed Lord Shiva's loyal mount Nandi flaking the Trishul. We also get a glimpse of the protagonist's intense fight against evil.

The teaser gave away the fact that the sequel would feature some high-intensity action sequences choreographed by stunt directors Ram-Lakshman.

Renowned composer S Thaman, whose work in all of Balakrishna's recent films have come in for praise, has again scored music for this Balakrishna film as well.

Interestingly, Harshaali Malhotra, best known for having played the little girl Munni in Salman Khan's blockbuster film 'Bajrangi Bhaijan', is playing the role of Janani in this film.

For the unaware, 'Akhanda 2: Thandavam' marks Balakrishna's fourth professional collaboration with filmmaker Boyapati Sreenu. A sequel to the 2021 blockbuster 'Akhanda', the movie promises all the elements of a mass entertainer.

The drama has been produced by Raam Achanta and Gopichand Achanta under the prestigious banner of 14 Reels Plus, and presented by M Tejeswini Nandamuri.

It may be recalled that the unit had recently shot a major sequence of the film in the scenic locales of Georgia. Certain parts of the movie were also shot at the sacred Maha Kumbh Mela that took place in Prayagraj this year.

Balakrishna will be seen as the protagonist in this action entertainer, which will also feature Samyuktha. In addition to these two, Aadhi Pinisetty has been roped in as the antagonist for the film.

Camera work for the film is being taken care of by C. Ramprasad, along with Santoshh D Detake, whereas Tammiraju is the head of the editing department.

The technical crew of the drama further includes A.S. Prakash as art director.

'Akhanda 2: Thandavam' is scheduled for a theatrical release on September 25, during Dussehra.

--IANS

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