Balakrishna went out of the way to ensure the smooth release of his film Akhanda 2 on 5 December 2025. However, his efforts and the parleys between various stakeholders failed.
A source shares “He charged Rs 30 crore plus for Akhanda 2 and hasn’t received his full pay yet,” An insider shared “He worked for 120 days on this film, promoted the Aghora-centric drama in Mumbai and Chennai, and gave the project a much-needed boost,”
He continued “He reaches the sets on time, works tirelessly even in sub-zero temperatures in Georgia, and gives his all once he dons the makeup,” He pointed “He didn’t raise any objections about releasing Akhanda 2 on December 5 and gave his go-ahead before financiers halted the release,”
A source shared “Industry bigwigs burned the midnight oil to release the film on December 5 and held negotiations with financiers, workers’ unions and the audio company, but in vain,”
The source adds “After many deliberations, the financiers reduced some costs and agreed to a one-time settlement of Rs 30 crore, assuring that they would permit the release,”
The source revealed “They were supposed to receive a share of revenues earned through playing songs on their channel, and this issue added to the producers’ woes,”
The source pointed out “They are planning to settle the issue out of court and secure clearance from Eros. They will also negotiate with others in the meantime to release the film in a week or two, if everything falls in place,”
The source noted “Producers are sure about Akhanda 2 rockng the box office since it had universal themes hailing Hinduism culture and traditions until these old issues came back to haunt them,”
A top producer warned “Producers need to cut down budgets, and big stars and directors must reduce their fancy remunerations to allow producers to breathe easy. Otherwise, many will be pushed to the brink,”
C.Kalyan reveals " Out of nearly 4,000 registered producers, only about 20 remain active. The rest have gone dormant, burdened by debts and unpaid dues. I have a list of producers who are struggling after investing heavily in films with top stars over the past two decades”
He concluded," With OTT, Hindi dubbing and non-theatrical rights losing value, even top producers are struggling to sustain themselves. A few may appear stable, but with the current wave of losses—even in star-studded films—it’s uncertain how long they can survive,”