Nandamuri Balakrishna’s highly anticipated mass action sequel Akhanda 2: Thaandavam was dramatically stopped from its global theatrical release on Friday, December 5, when the Madras High Court issued an emergency injunction barely hours before the first paid preview shows were scheduled to begin across Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and international territories.

The sudden halt originated from a protracted financial dispute between the film’s production house, 14 Reels Entertainment, and Eros International Media Limited, which holds an enforceable arbitral award of approximately ₹28 crore against the producer. Eros approached the court on an urgent basis, successfully arguing that releasing the big-budget sequel would allow 14 Reels to earn hundreds of crores while deliberately evading settlement of the outstanding decree.

A Division Bench comprising Justices SM Subramaniam and C Kumarappan accepted Eros’s plea, issuing a sweeping interim order that prohibits any form of release, distribution, exhibition, or commercial exploitation of Akhanda 2 until further directives or until the financial obligation is satisfactorily addressed, effectively pulling the film from thousands of screens at the eleventh hour.

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Devastated fans who had already purchased tickets for early morning shows were informed of the cancellation only late Thursday night when 14 Reels Entertainment posted an emotional statement on social media, expressing “deep pain” and citing “unavoidable circumstances beyond our control.” The producers pledged to resolve the issue at the earliest but stopped short of announcing a revised release date.

Directed by Boyapati Srinu, Akhanda 2 features Balakrishna in dual powerhouse roles alongside Samyuktha, Aadhi Pinishetty, and Harshaali Malhotra, with Thaman S’s explosive soundtrack having already created massive pre-release euphoria. Industry sources indicate that behind-the-scenes negotiations are underway to settle the dues or secure court permission, but until then, one of the year’s biggest Telugu releases remains indefinitely postponed.

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