The mixed response to Nani’s The Paradise has triggered a bigger discussion in the Telugu film industry about the growing obsession with massive budgets, long schedules, heavy VFX, elaborate world-building and technical spectacle.
The Paradise had almost everything needed to create huge pre-release excitement. It had Nani, a massive visual world, an unusual setting, intense action and a big technical team. The film recorded phenomenal advance bookings in India and the US. But the early response has been divided.
That raises an important question. How much can scale actually achieve if the story does not connect?
This puts several upcoming Telugu projects under greater scrutiny. Films like Fauzi, Dragon, Rana Baali, Spirit and Rowdy Janardhana are being discussed with huge expectations around scale, stars and technical ambition. Even Kalki 2 has become part of the conversation because it is another massive world-building project carrying enormous expectations.
Interestingly, director Nag Ashwin has officially confirmed that regular shooting for Kalki 2 will begin in October 2026, with the team planning to complete the shoot by the middle of 2027.
However, that schedule will not be easy. Prabhas is currently committed to Fauzi and also has Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Spirit to complete before moving fully into Kalki 2. The makers will also have to coordinate dates with the other big actors.
Kalki 2898 AD recently won two National Awards which has added further attention to the sequel.
But The Paradise has brought an important point back into focus. When a film takes years to make and involves massive spending, audiences expect more than impressive visuals.
This does not mean every big pan-India film will face the same fate. Kalki 2898 AD itself proved that large-scale world-building can work when audiences connect with the film.
For Fauzi, Spirit, Dragon, Rana Baali, Rowdy Janardhana and Kalki 2, the real challenge is not simply creating a bigger world. It is making audiences care about what happens inside it.
