Balakrishna’sAkhanda 2 has recorded better television ratings than Prabhas’The Raja Saab in their respective world TV premieres, marking a surprising outcome in the ratings battle between two high-profile Telugu releases.
TRP Rating Comparison
The television premiere of The Raja Saab on Maa TV recorded 5.02 TRP in urban markets and 4.40 TRP in urban+rural markets. Meanwhile, Akhanda 2’s premiere on Zee Telugu delivered 5.59 TRP in urban markets and 4.54 TRP in urban+rural markets.
Film
Channel
Urban TRP
Urban+Rural TRP
The Raja Saab
Maa TV
5.02
4.40
Akhanda 2
Zee Telugu
5.59
4.54
Box Office Context
Both films failed to meet expectations at the box office during their theatrical runs. Their TV ratings were also on the lower side compared to typical big-star premieres. However, Akhanda 2 managed to edge past The Raja Saab in viewership numbers.
The sequel factor appears to have worked in Akhanda 2’s favor. The first installment of Akhanda (2021) was a massive blockbuster, which likely contributed to viewer curiosity for the sequel’s TV premiere. Akhanda 2 also recorded strong viewership on Netflix after its theatrical run, suggesting consistent audience interest in Balakrishna’s mass entertainer.
Kara, starring Dhanush, has ended its extended first week on a disastrous note at the box office. The Vignesh Raja directorial, which released on April 30, 2026, collected just around ₹45 crore gross worldwide in 8 days—marking it as one of the biggest failures in the actor’s career.
Box Office Performance
The Kara Dhanush collaboration has failed to connect with audiences despite the actor’s massive fan base. Here’s how the film performed in its opening week:
Metric
Collection
Extended First Week (8 Days)
₹45 Cr Gross WW
Estimated Budget
₹100+ Cr
Expected Share Recovery
Less than 30%
Dhanush’s Pre-Release Confidence
Dhanush had shown tremendous confidence in the film ahead of its release. Just days before Kara hit theatres, he tweeted: “Vignesh Raja – You Genius. Thank you for Kara.” This public endorsement led many in the industry to expect the film would become the biggest blockbuster of his career.
However, audience reception told a completely different story. The Tamil heist thriller, set in the early 1990s, struggled to draw crowds from day one.
A Major Financial Disaster
Made on a massive budget of over ₹100 crore, Kara’s theatrical performance has been nothing short of catastrophic. Trade analysts estimate the film’s full-run theatrical share may not even recover 30% of the investment, making it a significant box office disaster.
The film featured Dhanush alongside Mamitha Baiju, Suraj Venjaramoodu, Jayaram, and K. S. Ravikumar in key roles. Despite strong production values and music by GV Prakash Kumar, the film failed to translate its technical aspects into commercial success.
Unfortunately, this isn’t Dhanush’s first recent setback. His previous film, Idly Kadai, also underperformed at the box office, failing to meet expectations despite decent reviews. The back-to-back failures have raised questions about the actor’s script selection and market positioning.
With Kara Dhanush proving to be a major misstep, the actor will need to bounce back strong with his upcoming projects to regain box office momentum.
Mohanlal and Mammootty, two of Malayalam cinema’s biggest superstars, joined forces for the big-budget multistarrer Patriot, but the film has emerged as a major box office failure. Despite opening with ₹28 crore worldwide and registering the second biggest opening for Mollywood after Empuraan, mixed word of mouth led to a sharp weekday crash.
Opening Strong, Fading Fast
Patriot opened very well with around ₹28 crore worldwide, making it the second biggest opening for a Malayalam film after Empuraan. However, the film saw a clear dip in collections from the very first weekend itself due to mixed audience reactions. After the weekend, Patriot completely crashed on weekdays, with Kerala day-wise collections already falling below ₹1 crore.
First Week Collections
For its first week, Patriot has collected over ₹24 crore in Kerala, while the worldwide gross is estimated to be around ₹70 crore. These numbers are extremely disappointing for a film carrying the combined star power of Mohanlal and Mammootty.
Box Office Verdict
Patriot is heading towards becoming a major box office failure. The film now has almost no chance of even crossing the ₹100 crore mark worldwide, which is disastrous for a project of this scale and budget. The weekday collapse indicates strong audience rejection despite the initial curiosity driven by the multistarrer casting.
For context, Mammootty‘s recent solo outing KalamKaval collected ₹44 crore worldwide in its first weekend alone, demonstrating that content quality matters more than star combinations.
Suriya’s upcoming film Karuppu is facing unexpected marketing challenges in Tamil Nadu due to the state’s recent election fever. With the film set to release on May 14, the team is delaying the trailer launch as audiences remain consumed by political developments.
Tamil Nadu Election Fever Delays Campaign
The highly anticipated Karuppu finds itself caught in Tamil Nadu’s historic political moment. Elections were held on April 23, 2026, with results declared on May 4, marking a watershed moment as actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) emerged as the single largest party with 108 seats, ending 59 years of Dravidian party dominance.
Director RJ Balaji stated that the team is delaying the trailer because people are completely focused on politics right now. Not just Tamil Nadu, the entire country has been closely watching this unprecedented electoral outcome and the ongoing government formation talks.
Trailer Release Crucial for Box Office Buzz
With just one week remaining before the May 14 release, Karuppu still hasn’t unveiled its trailer. This delay could heavily impact the film’s box office prospects, as the movie currently carries limited buzz and the trailer is crucial to create anticipation among audiences.
The team must release the trailer this weekend to generate momentum. The film has completed all censor formalities and received a UA certificate, but the political situation continues to overshadow its promotional campaign.
High Stakes for Suriya and RJ Balaji
While Suriya delivered a massive hit with Retro in May 2025 (₹250 crore worldwide), Karuppu represents an important project as he collaborates with actor-turned-director RJ Balaji for the first time. The film also marks the return of the popular Suriya-Trisha pairing, adding to fan expectations.
The next 48 hours will be critical for the film’s promotional strategy. If the political heat subsides following government formation, the team can capitalize on the remaining week to build buzz through the trailer and other promotional content.
Razor is an action-thriller directed by and starring Ravi Babu, releasing in theaters today (May 8, 2026). Let’s see if this Razor Review finds the film delivering strong content like Ravi Babu’s previous hits.
Story
Home Minister Kanakaraju (Veeranna Chowdary) murders Chief Minister Sitaramayya (Ramaraju) when he refuses to step down. Kanakaraju and his son discover that a CCTV business owner named Vishnu (Tanish) accidentally captured footage of them murdering the CM.
Kanakaraju’s son and his men brutally murder Vishnu and his wife. The rest of the story follows how Vishnu’s young daughter, Teju (Baby Tejal Vikhyathi), is saved by Rudra Pratap (Ravi Babu), a mobile pet groomer, as she becomes the living evidence of her parents’ killing.
Performances
Ravi Babu plays the lead role, and his screen presence fits the character. He looks convincing in action sequences but delivers a merely okay performance overall. Tanish, Inaya Sultana, Baby Tejal Vikhyathi, Banerjee, Pranavi Manukonda, Veeranna Chowdary, Ramaraju, and others fail to leave any impact—similar to the underwhelming performances in recent Telugu action films.
Analysis
Ravi Babu acts and directs Razor. The film jumps into the main storyline from the first scene, and within the first half hour, the conflict and target for the lead character are established.
After an impressive start, however, the film becomes highly predictable. The way villains and their scenes are shown is too routine. You can easily guess the proceedings, and there are hardly any surprises in the screenplay.
The film also has many logical errors. A missing child case creates state-wide sensation, but police are rarely seen—despite the hero and his men fighting goons and finding clues about an important video.
In the entire film, a couple of action sequences work well, and a hard-hitting family flashback in the second half is fine, though overdramatic. Besides these parts, the film moves along on an uninteresting note.
Positives
A couple of strong action sequences
Engaging opening moments
Negatives
Artificial emotions
Outdated handling of villain characters
Poor casting and weak performances
Excessive violence in fights
Razor Review – Final Verdict
Ravi Babu’s violent action drama Razor stays focused on its core theme from the first scene. But the film gets weighed down by a predictable narrative and weak performances from the cast. The emotional depth feels limited, making it difficult to connect with the characters. Only a couple of action sequences manage to leave an impact in this otherwise routine thriller.
Sathi Leelavathi, starring Lavanya Tripathi Konidela and Dev Mohan, is a romantic comedy-drama releasing in theatres today, May 8, 2026. Directed by Tatineni Satya, the film attempts to explore marital discord and reconciliation but falls short on multiple fronts. Let us find out what works and what doesn’t in this Sathi Leelavathi review.
Story
Leelavathi (Lavanya Tripathi) is a film director who falls in love with and marries orphaned psychologist Ram Sethu (Dev Mohan). However, due to her busy shooting schedules and lack of attention towards her husband, their relationship falls apart.
After three years of marriage, Sethu decides to divorce Leela and marry another woman, Nikola Sebastian (Madonna Sebastian). But Leela refuses to give him a divorce. In a bizarre turn of events, she even locks him inside the house after attacking him.
What happens next? Do Leela and Sethu reunite or part ways forever? What efforts does Leela make to change her husband and save their marriage? The rest of the film revolves around these questions.
Performances
Lavanya Tripathi and Dev Mohan look good on screen, but neither of them manages to leave a strong impact with their performances. Dev Mohan’s self-dubbing also feels slightly awkward in several scenes.
Senior actor Naresh VK gets a few emotional moments, but since the character itself lacks depth, the sentiment fails to create the desired impact.
Actors like Saptagiri, VTV Ganesh, Mottai Rajendran, Jaffer, and Joshi appear in the film, but their roles hardly add any value to the narrative.
Analysis
Director-writer Tatineni Satya picks a familiar concept, but the core idea does have some emotional value. The theme that divorce is not always the solution to misunderstandings between husband and wife has already been explored in many films.
However, for such stories to work emotionally, the bond between the lead pair needs to be established strongly in the beginning. That is where Sathi Leelavathi struggles the most. The love story between Lavanya and Dev Mohan lacks emotional depth, making it difficult for the audience to connect with their relationship.
Though the flashback episodes initially seem decent, they soon become weak and repetitive. The comedy track involving random characters entering the heroine’s house feels forced and completely misses the mark.
Even Saptagiri, who is usually known for his comic timing, fails to generate laughs because of the oddly written character. The emotional scenes and the small twist in the second half become too predictable, resulting in very little emotional payoff. A kidnap comedy episode at the climax worsens the boredom.
Mickey J Meyer delivers decent songs, but their placement feels disconnected from the situations, which eventually turns into a drawback for the film.
Positives
One or Two Comedy Scenes
Negatives
Outdated Treatment
Bland Emotions
Irritating Humour
Dull Feel
Sathi Leelavathi Review – Final Verdict
Though the core point of Sathi Leelavathi feels decent, the film gets dragged down by excessive loudness and over-the-top treatment. With hardly any freshness or impact in the narration and scenes, it ends up as a tiring and unbearable watch.
Godari Gattupaina is a romantic drama starring Sumanth Prabhas and Nidhi Pradeep, directed by debutant Subash Chandra. Set in the scenic West Godavari region, the film gathered decent buzz with its promotions and trailer. This Godari Gattupaina review explores whether the love story delivers the emotional impact it promises.
Story
The story revolves around Shyam Babu (Jagapathi Babu), a loving father who treats his daughter Maaya (Nidhi Pradeep) like a princess despite working as a security guard. Raju (Sumanth Prabhas) is a happy-go-lucky youngster who quits studies after the 10th standard and earns a living by driving an auto.
Maaya and Raju initially clash due to a few incidents, but eventually fall in love. The narrative then focuses on how Shyam Babu reacts to their relationship and whether the couple finds happiness together.
Performances
Sumanth Prabhas delivers a decent performance, though he appears slightly over-the-top in certain scenes. He looks convincing on screen, but the character could have been written stronger. Nidhi Pradeep performs well in a few emotional scenes, while Sudharshan and his gang generate some genuine laughs.
Jagapathi Babu does well within the limited scope of his role, though the character itself isn’t particularly memorable. Reenu SK is adequate. Laila, Devi Prasad, and Rajeev Kanakala perform well within their respective roles.
Analysis
Subash Chandra directs Godari Gattupaina as a regular love story, which Telugu cinema has explored countless times before. The director attempts to narrate the story with emotional depth, but the writing, screenplay, and presentation feel ordinary throughout.
The first half mostly revolves around the lead pair’s romance, while Sudharshan’s comedy track provides relief. However, the director should have established why Maaya falls for Raju more convincingly. The interval block tries to add emotional weight but doesn’t fully succeed.
The biggest drawback is the inconsistent emotional connection. Some scenes deliver the intended impact, but not consistently enough to keep viewers invested. The second half starts with a heartbreak song, then gains momentum with a crucial episode at the police station.
The twists revealed towards the climax are predictable. The pre-climax generates some emotion with scenes between the hero and heroine’s father. The climax feels extended but brings some entertainment value.
The songs are okay, while the background score feels familiar and repetitive. A few dialogues work well, and the visuals remain decent overall.
Positives
Crucial emotional scenes in the second half
Sudharshan’s comedy track
Decent performances from the lead cast
Negatives
Lack of consistent emotional impact
Love track needed better establishment
Predictable screenplay
Godari Gattupaina Review – Final Verdict
Godari Gattupaina features some emotional moments, comedic scenes, and decent performances. However, its predictable plot and lack of strong emotional connection keep it from being anything more than an ordinary romantic drama. Watch it if you enjoy simple love stories with no high expectations.
Actor-turned-politician Vijay appears to have crossed a major hurdle in Tamil Nadu politics as the latest developments suggest that the path is now clear for the TVK alliance to form the government.
Tamil Nadu Governor Gives Green Signal to Vijay
Over the past few hours, several reports claimed that Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) might struggle to prove its majority. The speculation created uncertainty around the government formation process and fueled intense political discussions across the state.
However, the situation has now reportedly taken a positive turn for Vijay in Tamil Nadu. Governor R. N. Ravi is said to have given the green signal to the TVK alliance to move forward with forming the government.
According to political reports, the Governor has invited the TVK alliance to officially stake claim and advised Vijay to prove his majority on the Assembly floor at the earliest possible opportunity. This development is being seen as a significant political moment, especially since it marks Vijay's first major step toward power after entering active politics.
With the focus now shifting to the Assembly floor test, all eyes are on Vijay and the TVK alliance to see whether they can successfully establish their majority and begin a new political chapter in Tamil Nadu.
Tamil star Karthi has officially joined hands with MAD fame director Kalyan Shankar for an ambitious superhero bilingual project. The Karthi Kalyan Shankar film was launched in Hyderabad in May 2026 with a formal pooja ceremony, generating strong buzz among fans and industry circles.
Project Details and Cast
The big-budget action entertainer is being jointly produced by Sithara Entertainments and Fortune Four Cinemas. Actress Meenakshi Chaudhary has been signed as the female lead opposite Karthi.
Aspect
Details
Hero
Karthi
Heroine
Meenakshi Chaudhary
Director
Kalyan Shankar
Producers
Sithara Entertainments, Fortune Four Cinemas
Genre
Superhero Action
Languages
Telugu, Tamil
Superhero Concept and Story Background
According to industry buzz, the Karthi Kalyan Shankar collaboration is based on a superhero concept, making it a unique attempt in South cinema. The project marks director Kalyan Shankar’s first major star-led film after the success of MAD and its sequel.
Reports suggest that the story was initially narrated to Ravi Teja, but the project eventually landed with Karthi, who was thoroughly impressed with the script’s scale and treatment.
Karthi’s Telugu Connect
Karthi enjoys a strong fan base among Telugu audiences thanks to his natural acting style and relatable screen presence. Over the years, many Telugu viewers have expressed interest in seeing him headline a straight Telugu film. This bilingual project is expected to fulfill that long-awaited wish, as the film will have equal prominence for both Telugu and Tamil markets.
The bilingual format has become increasingly popular among South Indian stars looking to expand their market reach across linguistic boundaries.
What’s Next for Karthi
Apart from Kalyan Shankar’s film, Karthi is also set to appear in another Telugu project, HIT: The Fourth Case (HIT-4), directed by Sailesh Kolanu. With two promising Telugu projects in his lineup, Karthi is poised for a strong presence in Tollywood over the coming year.
After a disappointing theatrical run, Thimmarajupalli TV is all set for its Aha OTT premiere. The rural comedy entertainer, which released on April 17, will start streaming from May 15, 2026, bringing the heartwarming village story to digital audiences.
Kiran Abbavaram’s Passion Project
What makes Thimmarajupalli TV special is young actor Kiran Abbavaram‘s involvement as producer. The actor, riding high on back-to-back successes, turned producer to introduce fresh talent through this project. Made on a modest budget, the film received positive feedback for its sincere attempt at capturing rural life, even though it struggled at the box office.
Directed by V. Muniraj, Thimmarajupalli TV features Sai Tej, Veda Jalandhar, and Pradeep Kotte in key roles. The teaser and posters created a positive buzz before release, highlighting the film’s nostalgic village setting.
The Story Behind Thimmarajupalli TV
Set in a remote village in 1996, the film tells the story of a community brought together by a single television. When the TV suddenly disappears, chaos and suspicion grip the village. As the search intensifies, one man gets entangled in the mystery, leading to unexpected consequences. The film explores themes of community, entertainment, and the social fabric of rural India during the pre-digital era.
Aha OTT Release Details
Aha has officially acquired the digital streaming rights of Thimmarajupalli TV. The platform announced the May 15 premiere with a new poster on social media, confirming the OTT debut date.
Interestingly, Aha Gold subscribers will get exclusive early access to the film—24 hours before the official streaming premiere. This gives premium members a chance to watch Thimmarajupalli TV from May 14 itself.
For audiences who missed the theatrical release or want to revisit this rural comedy drama, the Aha OTT release offers a perfect opportunity to experience the film from home.
