09 December,2025 06:03 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Akhanda 2 and Mowgli
The release of Nandamuri Balakrishna's Akhanda 2 faced a roadbloack after it delayed from its original December 5 on the day of its release due to financial disputes between 14 Reels Plus and Eros. Fortunately, the issues have now resolved and the Madras High Court has cleared the film for release. However, this has turned to be an obsatcle for mid-budget Telugu film Mowgli, which was eyeing the same release date.
According to the latest announcement, Nandamuri Balakrishna's film is all set to arrive in theatres on December 12, 2025. Earlier, the makers of director Boyapeti Sreenu's much-anticipated action entertainer 'Akhanda 2: Thaandavam', featuring actor Nandamuri Balakrishna in the lead, had announced that the film will not be releasing on December 5 as scheduled due to "unavoidable circumstances"
Taking to its X timeline, 14 Reels Plus, the production house that has produced the film, wrote, "With a heavy heart, we regret to inform you that #Akhanda2 will not be releasing as scheduled due to unavoidable circumstances. This is a painful moment for us, and we truly understand the disappointment it brings to every fan and movie lover awaiting the film."
Following the announcemnet of release of Nandamuri Balakrishna's Akhanda 2 in theatres on December 12, director Sandeep Raj's Mowgli has faced a setback. The film, starring Roshan Kanakala and Sakshi Sagar in lead roles is incapable of clashing with the mega-budget Akhanda 2. Additionally, the producers People Media Factory have already entered into an OTT deal, which means delaying the film will not be possible.
This has prompted makers of Mowgli to turn it into a direct-to-digital release. Director Sandeep Raj was heartbroken by the development, especially since his first film Colour Photo too had released on OTT in 2020. He took to X to share a heartbreaking note, where he wrote, "Maybe Colour Photo and Mowgli deserved another DIRECTOR instead of me. These movies were made by a group of passionate people who can do anything for their profession," he wrote.
He further listed the common points between both projects naming"Facing bad luck with their release, just when everything seemed to be going well," as the first and "Me", as the second. He further added, "Maybe I'm the bad luck. Even I'm starting to feel that way. My dream of seeing the title 'Directed by Sandeep Raj' on the big screen is becoming harder day by day. I think SILVERSCREEN hates me."
He went on to add, "Mowgli was made with the passion, sweat, and blood of so many dedicated people like Roshan, Saroj garu, Sakshi, Harsha, DOP Maruthi, Bhairava and many more. I truly hope that all good things happen to Mowgli at the very least for their sake."
Interestingly, Sandeep Raj's debut film Colour Photo won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu.
