Prabhas Has an Edge Over Akshay and Ajay Devgn in BO Clash?
The film also features veteran actors Mithun Chakraborty, Anupam Kher, and Jaya Prada in pivotal roles.
Following the underwhelming performance of The Raja Saab, pan-India star Prabhas is gearing up for a comeback with Fauzi, which is slated for release on December 3, 2026. Directed by Hanu Raghavapudi, the period action drama is set to trigger one of the biggest box-office clashes of the year.
Fauzi will arrive a day ahead of two major Bollywood releases—Ajay Devgn's action-adventure Ranger, co-starring Sanjay Dutt and Tamannaah Bhatia, and Akshay Kumar's untitled comedy directed by Anees Bazmee, both scheduled for December 4.
Director Hemanth Madhukar believes Prabhas enjoys a significant advantage over the two Bollywood stars. "If this clash happens, Prabhas will have an edge over both Akshay Kumar and Ajay Devgn because Fauzi will be released in a proper Hindi version across North India. On the other hand, their films may release in the South, but dubbed versions in Telugu and Tamil don't enjoy the same acceptance as a straight Hindi release from Prabhas," he says.
Calling it one of the biggest box-office battles in recent years, with Rs 600 crore at stake, Hemanth says Prabhas has built a formidable fan base in the Hindi belt. "Prabhas has steadily gained a loyal Hindi audience over the years and will definitely pose a serious challenge to Bollywood stars," he adds.
In Fauzi, Prabhas plays a soldier, while debutante Imanvi stars as the female lead. The film also features veteran actors Mithun Chakraborty, Anupam Kher, and Jaya Prada in pivotal roles.
According to Hemanth, Prabhas's choice of larger-than-life action entertainers has helped him emerge as one of India's biggest stars."Prabhas's larger-than-life roles packed with action, emotion, and romance have put him ahead of many of his contemporaries," he notes.
At the same time, he believes the ultimate winner will depend on audience response."At the end of the day, the film with stronger content will emerge victorious this December," he says.
While Prabhas has delivered blockbusters such as Kalki 2898 AD and also faced setbacks with films like The Raja Saab, Hemanth feels that success and failure are part of every actor's journey. "Hits and flops are part of an actor's career. Fauzi is carrying tremendous hype, and Prabhas's look in the film has already won widespread appreciation. The expectations are naturally very high," he concludes.
