The 2026 Sankranti season is turning out to be a monumental clash at the box office with a growing number of top-film entries joining the fray. What appeared at first glance to be a smooth festival schedule with a limited number of releases has turned out to be a full-fledged festive battle that could make history in South Indian cinema.
At first, there were only three big Telugu films on the festival calendar: the megastar Chiranjeevi film with director Anil Ravipudi, Ravi Teja’s Anarkali, and Naveen Polishetty’s Anaganaga Oka Raju. They were expected to generate a strong enough buzz on their own and will provide ample space for each film to flourish during the festival period.
But the situation has totally changed over the past few weeks. Pan-India sensation Prabhas’ new film The Raja Saab, announced for a December 5, 2025 release, is being considered afresh for Sankranti 2026 now. The makers believe a festival release would hugely enhance the film’s reach and impact, thus becoming an even better box office bet, sources said.
Throwing more fire into the competition is Power Star Pawan Kalyan’s long-awaited Ustaad Bhagat Singh. The film is slated to complete its shoot by September, and with post-production work to begin in October, a release around Sankranti appears imminent. With the star power of Pawan Kalyan, this one can be sure to attract huge audiences during the festive season.
On the other hand, Balakrishna’s Akhanda 2, which is currently scheduled to hit theatres on September 25 alongside OG (also starring Pawan Kalyan), may also shift to Sankranti if any unexpected delays occur. Trade experts suggest that if Akhanda 2 misses its original release window, the festival slot is the next best target.
While Tollywood and the Telugu film industry look poised to have a box office battle in the focussing theatre season, the Tamil film industry can take solace it won’t be a lonely space. Thalapathy Vijay’s Jana Nayagan, is already confirmed for Sankranti, and Sivakarthikeyan’s untitled movie is also due to drop around the same time. In total, that is eight possible releases, with at least six likely to box with each other.
If these release schedules materialize, Sankranti 2026 would probably turn out to be one of the most explosive and not-to-be-forgotten festive periods in the history of South Indian cinema. The box office is set on a path of multi-language, starry war, and fans are looking forward to watching which films will remain firm and which ones will retreat to escape the tempest.
As the countdown begins, one thing is certain—Sankranti 2026 is not just a festival; it’s going to be a cinematic battlefield.
