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‘Akhanda 2’ Falls Flat: Big Hype, Bigger Disappointment!

Key Facts:

  • Akhanda 2: Thaandavam, starring Nandamuri Balakrishna and directed by Boyapati Sreenu, releases as a big year-end sequel but lands a low 2/5 rating.​

  • The story jumps from local villains to a Chinese general using biowarfare and a virus in the Ganga to break Indians’ faith, with Balayya’s Akhanda returning as the saviour.​

  • Balakrishna appears in multiple shades, but only one version works, and his impact and intensity are said to be weaker than in the first film.​

  • Critics slam the movie for a dull first half, weak villains, forced devotion-patriotism mix, and an illogical, over-the-top narrative that rarely lands emotionally.​

  • Thaman’s songs and background score are called loud and underwhelming, with only rich cinematography standing out as a plus.​

  • Overall verdict from the review: the sequel rides on brand value without a strong story, making it a disappointing, logic-defying watch.​

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Akhanda 2: Thaandavam arrived as one of the most hyped year-end releases, promising to bring back Nandamuri Balakrishna’s iconic aghora avatar with even bigger stakes, but the review paints a picture of a sequel that stumbles almost everywhere it tries to go. The plot dramatically shifts from the factionist-style villains of earlier Boyapati-Balayya films to a Chinese general angry over the Galwan clash, who teams up with a strategist and a corrupt minister to unleash a bioweapon into the Ganga during Maha Kumbh Mela, trying to break people’s faith and destabilise India. A young DRDO scientist, Janani, develops a crucial vaccine and is sent to Ladakh, only for enemies to attack her, setting up Akhanda’s grand re-entry as the lone protector of both the nation and Sanatana Dharma. But despite this massive canvas of terrorism, biowarfare, devotion, and patriotism, the review says the writing never gels, with too many themes—from Hindu sentiment to mother-child emotion and mythological cameos like Narasimha, Hanuman, and Shiva—stuffed in without organic flow. Balakrishna appears in three versions, including younger and older aghora looks, yet only one avatar reportedly works decently, and even his trademark ferocity cannot match the surprise and impact of the first film. The antagonists are another major letdown: Aadi Pinishetty and Sangay Tsheltrim are underused, the Chinese army angle fails to spark true patriotic high, and key figures like the Prime Minister and Army Chief are reduced to helpless spectators while Akhanda and even his trident handle almost everything in illogical, overpowered set pieces. On the technical front, Thaman’s music is criticised for having no memorable songs and a loud but ineffective background score, forcing the team to reuse the old “Jai Balayya” track, while CGI is called subpar even if the visuals and cinematography look grand. With a dragging, dull first half, flat narration, and a climax that abandons logic—like a team’s failure halting national security or Chinese forces trying to blow up Kailasa—the reviewer concludes that Akhanda 2 banks too hard on the franchise name and devotional packaging without a solid story, ending as a disappointing sequel that doesn’t even tease a third part.​



Watched Akhanda 2 yet? Rate it out of 5 in the comments! ⭐

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