Amid several unexpected developments and delays, Akhanda 2, finally released on December 12. This delay, coupled with very high expectations, impacted its box-office momentum. The film opened to extremely mixed talk, and collections dropped sharply after the first weekend.
However, the situation improved slightly in the following weeks as the film maintained low but steady collections but nothing worth that could make the film a success. Since the break-even targets were extremely high, trade circles still classify the film as a big flop in strict box-office terms. With major Sankranthi releases arriving, its theatrical run is now nearing an end.
Attention has now shifted to the OTT release. According to industry buzz, Netflix is expected to begin streaming Akhanda 2 from January 9. An official announcement is likely soon, as the film is expected to earn some last revenue over the current weekend. Initially, the film was scheduled to premiere on Netflix on January 2, but the one-week theatrical delay pushed the OTT date forward as well.
Directed by Boyapati Srinu and produced by Ram Achanta and Gopichand Achanta under the 14 Reels Plus banner, Akhanda 2 reportedly recorded the highest-ever theatrical business of Balakrishna’s career, touching around ₹200 crore. Despite this, the film struggled to recover costs. In overseas markets as well, the film ended up as a major disaster, failing to even cross the $1 million mark.
The OTT release is expected to give the film a second wave of visibility and help it reach a wider audience. However, several scenes from the film were widely trolled after its theatrical release. It remains to be seen whether the OTT premiere will fuel further trolling, as digital audiences tend to be more critical, ruthless and unforgiving than theatrical viewers.
