Nandamuri Balakrishna’s much-hyped sequel Akhanda 2: Thandavam directed by Boyapati Srinu may have enjoyed a promising start at the box office, but the film is now being widely discussed in trade circles for the significant financial loss it has incurred. Despite decent footfalls and sustained interest in the initial weeks, the numbers tell a sobering story when weighed against its massive budget.

While the makers have not officially revealed the production cost, industry trackers and trade estimates peg Akhanda 2: Thandavam at a hefty budget of around ₹200 crore. This figure reportedly includes production expenses, star remuneration, extensive marketing, and wide-scale release costs, making it one of the most expensive projects in Balakrishna’s career.

After the last-minute postponement on December 5^th, released on December 12, 2025, the film opened to an encouraging response, collecting approximately ₹21.20 crore (India net) on its first day. The initial buzz helped the film cross ₹80 crore in India gross within the first week. The momentum continued into the second week, suggesting a steady theatrical run rather than a sharp drop.

However, the overall worldwide box-office collections have fallen well short of expectations. As per box-office tracking portals, Akhanda 2: Thandavam has managed to gross around ₹107.85 crore globally, with approximately ₹95.85 crore coming from India and about ₹12 crore from overseas markets. While these figures would be respectable for a mid-budget film, they are far from sufficient to recover a ₹200 crore investment.

A distributor from the Andhra Pradesh–Telangana circuit, speaking candidly about the outcome, said, “The opening was strong and Balakrishna garu’s fan base did its job in the first few days. But the business expectations were set extremely high due to the budget. At this level, even a ₹100-crore-plus gross is not enough. Recovery has been very tough for most buyers. Akhanda 2 did not collapse at the box office, it failed to translate its mass appeal into long-term sustainability across all regions. The film also could not surpass the lifetime collections of some of Balakrishna’s earlier blockbusters, further adding to the disappointment.”

In the end, Akhanda 2: Thandavam stands as a clear example of how soaring budgets can outweigh decent box-office performance. Despite loyal fan support and a respectable run, the film’s financial outcome underscores the growing risk associated with mounting production costs in big-ticket Telugu cinema.