Can Boyapati Srinu Repeat Akhanda's Success with His First Sequel?

After directors like Shankar, Rajamouli and Sukumar ventured into sequels, noted filmmaker Boyapati Srinu is now attempting his first-ever sequel with Akhanda 2. Industry watchers say the director has taken his time to refine the script and reunite with his favourite collaborator, Nandamuri Balakrishna, to regain his winning momentum.

“Boyapati Srinu worked for a long time on the sequel and finally locked it with Balakrishna to prove a point,” says a distributor. “Shankar struggled with Indian 2, while Rajamouli and Sukumar scored massive success with the Baahubali and Pushpa franchises. Now all eyes are on Akhanda 2 — it could make or break Boyapati’s current standing,” he adds.

Boyapati has delivered some of his biggest blockbusters with Balakrishna, including Simha, Legend and Akhanda. Their combination works due to their strong understanding, with Boyapati presenting Balakrishna’s angry-mass image with conviction while blending it with emotional depth. “He knows how to elevate Balakrishna into a larger-than-life force. The Aghora character he created in Akhanda became a sensational hit. In the sequel, he has expanded the Aghora’s scope, scale and feats, and added a streak of patriotism to position it as a pan-India film,” the distributor notes.

Interestingly, Boyapati had plans to collaborate with actors from other industries — he even discussed a project with Tamil star Suriya — but it didn’t materialise. He then teamed up with Ram Pothineni for Skanda, which turned out to be a flop.

“Another hit with Balakrishna will boost Boyapati’s market and draw the attention of top heroes from other industries. But if Akhanda 2 underperforms, it could be a setback,” the distributor concludes.