Akhanda2Review:
Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3/5)
By [anrwriting ✍🏽]
Boyapati Srinu’s Akhanda 2: Thaandavam returns to the familiar orbit of mass spectacle and devotional grandiosity that made the original Akhanda a pan-audience phenomenon. Anchored once again by Nandamuri Balakrishna, the film doubles down on the template mythic bravado, high-voltage action, devotional imagery and a clear hero-centric design but it rarely breaks new ground beyond the expectations of its core crowd.
The Premise (No Spoilers):
Set against a cross-border tableau that begins near the Tibet frontier, the plot revolves around a sinister bio-weapon plot targeting India’s faith and cultural gatherings. A series of mysterious collapses at a Kumbh Mela leads to the discovery of a bioweapon and an experimental antidote developed at a DRDO facility. After the laboratory is destroyed and scientists are massacred, a lone researcher, Janani (Harshaali Malhotra), escapes with the vaccine. Protecting her becomes the mission of Rudra Sikandar — Aghora — Balakrishna’s larger-than-life savior. Parallel to this runs the local avatar, Bala Muralikrishna, a stylish MLA also essayed by Balakrishna, linking personal stakes to the broader nationalistic canvas.
What Works:
Balakrishna is, frankly, the film’s primary engine. He delivers two robust avatars: the fierce, otherworldly Aghora and the urbane Bala Muralikrishna. Both serve different emotional registers mythic wrath and mass-appeal charisma and he carries the film when it needs lift. Boyapati’s signature mass-elevation sequences and punchy, rhetorical dialogues land effectively with the intended audience. S. S. Thaman’s score and background work stand out the soundtrack and themes amplify the film’s sweep, and the setpieces (notably the Kumbh Mela scenes and the Himalayan backdrops) are aesthetically powerful. Cinematography by C. Ram Prasad and the VFX/lensed sequences by Ram Prasad and Santosh Datake add to the film’s scale, making it suitably panoramic for a pan-India outing.
Where It Falters:
The problem is novelty. Much of Akhanda 2 follows the first film’s blueprint so closely that the sequel feels like an extended riff rather than an evolution. The narrative stalls in stretches of the first half several sequences slow the momentum and delay the real payoff until intermission. Character depth beyond Balakrishna is limited: Samyukta’s role is underwritten, Aadhi Pinisetty makes an impression in the portions he occupies, and Harshaali Malhotra’s Janani is pivotal but largely functional to the plot. Supporting players deliver dutifully but lack memorable arcs. The political and China-backdrop elements flirt with geopolitical tension but are mostly used to raise stakes rather than to probe complexity.
Technical & Emotional Core:
Editing (Tammiraju) could have tightened pacing in the first half; the second half regains energy with more action and emotional beats. Dialogue-heavy scenes are Boyapati’s strength and will please fans; the film often privileges spectacle and sentiment over subtlety. The mother-and-son emotional chord, ritualistic imagery, and the infusion of Hindu motifs bolster the film’s devotional tenor and connect to the audience’s cultural touchstones.
Verdict:
Akhanda 2: Thaandavam is a film built for fans a one-man show by Balakrishna, amplified by Boyapati’s mass sensibilities and Thaman’s booming score. If you come seeking a fresh, conceptually daring sequel, it may feel recycled; if you seek concentrated star power, stylized heroism and devotional-muscular cinema, it delivers. A grand, crowd-pleasing spectacle that earns its applause but not necessarily its surprises.
Pros:
• Balakrishna’s commanding dual performance
• Thaman’s score and strong background music
• Grand visuals Kumbh and Himalayan sequences
Cons:
• Predictable sequel formula; limited novelty
• Pacing lags in the first half
• Underdeveloped supporting characters
