Dada’s Biggest Battle Is Against the Calendar

Balakrishna’s Dada faces a December deadline

For Dada, the first battle may not be at the box office. It is against the calendar. Balakrishna’s next film with Gopichand Malineni has locked December 24 as its release date, but the film still has crucial shooting and post-production work ahead. The team is moving into a Mysore schedule, with Balakrishna expected to join in October. That leaves a limited window to comfortably meet the Christmas deadline.

The bigger question is what happens if Dada moves out of the Christmas race. Sankranthi 2027 is already getting crowded with several big-ticket films, meaning there may not be an easy festival window waiting for the film.

So Dada finds itself in an unusual position. It has a prized Christmas date to protect, but very little breathing room if the schedule slips.

That makes December 24 more than just a release date. The team is now racing to finish the film while keeping its festival strategy intact. Before Balayya takes on the box office, Dada has one immediate opponent to beat: the calendar.