Whenever Sankranti approaches, the Telugu film industry gears up for its biggest box office season. And when two senior superstars are expected to release their films simultaneously, the excitement naturally reaches another level.
That is exactly what is happening now.
According to industry buzz, Chiranjeevi’s Vishwambhara and Balakrishna’s upcoming film with Gopichand Malineni (NBK111) are both targeting Sankranti 2027. While neither film has officially announced its release date, trade circles believe both teams are working towards the festive season.
If that happens, Tollywood could witness another memorable Chiranjeevi vs Balakrishna clash.
This rivalry has produced several fascinating box office battles over the past 25 years.
In 2023, Waltair Veerayya and Veera Simha Reddy released during Sankranti. Both became commercial successes, although Waltair Veerayya eventually emerged as the winner.
Before that, 2017 saw Chiranjeevi’s comeback film Khaidi No. 150 clash with Balakrishna’s landmark 100th film, Gautamiputra Satakarni. Both performed well, but Khaidi No. 150 finished ahead at the box office.
The story was different in 2004. While Chiranjeevi’s ambitious fantasy film Anji struggled, Balakrishna’s Lakshmi Narasimha became a massive commercial success.
Going further back, 2001 belonged completely to Balakrishna. Narasimha Naidu became an industry hit and comfortably overshadowed Chiranjeevi’s Mrugaraju, which ended as an epic disaster.
In 2000, however, Chiranjeevi roared with the blockbuster Annayya, while Balakrishna’s Vamshoddharakudu flopped badly at the box office.
This history highlights one clear pattern: neither Chiranjeevi nor Balakrishna has consistently dominated these clashes. The winner has usually been decided by the strength of the film rather than star power alone.
Looking at the current situation, however, many feel NBK111 enters the race with better momentum than Vishwambhara.
One concern surrounding Vishwambhara is its prolonged delay. The film has been postponed multiple times, and its teaser received heavy backlash, particularly for its visual effects. As a result, the hype around the fantasy drama is almost zilch.
In contrast, Balakrishna’s film with Gopichand Malineni feels fresher. The recently released glimpse generated a positive response, and with promotions only beginning, curiosity remains intact.
That said, perceptions can change very quickly.
If the makers of Vishwambhara deliver a visually impressive trailer and convince audiences that the final VFX are far superior to what was seen in the teaser, the film could try to regain momentum.
After all, pre-release buzz can only take a film so far. Once audiences enter theatres, everything depends on the content.
If this clash materializes, Sankranti 2027 could once again deliver one of Tollywood’s biggest festival battles. But as history has repeatedly shown, the ultimate winner will be decided not by hype or social media discussions, but by the audience.
