Balakrishna’s Akhanda 2, directed by Boyapati Sreenu, was expected to be a massive success not only in the Telugu states but also Pan India wide. The team promoted the film extensively in North India, hoping to repeat the pan-India appeal. Unfortunately, the movie has failed to meet expectations and is heading towards a flop in most regions.
The first film, Akhanda (2021), was a sensational blockbuster that marked the beginning of Balakrishna’s strong second innings. After its OTT release, the movie gained popularity among audiences in other languages, especially the Hindi version on YouTube, which received appreciation. This success made the team believe that Akhanda 2 had strong potential in Hindi markets.
Boyapati’s films usually focus on themes like corruption, factionalism, politics, and revenge, which audiences easily connect with. However, for Akhanda 2, he chose a broader theme of patriotism to appeal to pan-India viewers. The sequel touches on issues such as India–China border tensions, DRDO projects, national politics, and Sanatana Dharma, but the storytelling failed to present these elements in an engaging way.
Though the film had the scope to deliver a larger-than-life experience, the narration lacked emotional depth and proper blending of themes. As a result, audiences did not enjoy it like previous Boyapati–Balakrishna collaborations, and this is reflected in poor box office collections.
Had Akhanda 2 focused mainly on Telugu audiences, mixing Lord Shiva’s angle with action and sentiment like the first part, it might have worked better. Instead, the attempt to include North Indian politics and border issues did not impress viewers.
Adding to the disappointment, the Hindi version of the film failed to recover even its basic expenses. With minimal interest from Hindi audiences, Akhanda 2 has struggled to justify its pan-India positioning.