The ongoing troubles surrounding Akhanda 2: Thaandavam have unexpectedly brought Pawan Kalyan into the conversation.
Industry observers are drawing comparisons between the financial challenges faced by Akhanda 2 and those encountered during the making of Pawan Kalyan’s Hari Hara Veera Mallu, particularly in how both actors responded when their producers were in crisis.
Pawan Kalyan agreed to do Hari Hara Veera Mallu primarily to support veteran producer AM Rathnam, who was struggling to initiate new projects due to financial difficulties.
At the time of signing, Pawan reportedly took no remuneration except for a nominal token amount. However, production stalled due to repeated delays and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pawan Kalyan’s political responsibilities also contributed to the slow progress, eventually leading director Krish to step away.
Even then, Pawan opted to charge only ₹11 crore — payable after the film’s release. He also helped Rathnam’s son, Jyothi Krishna, take over the project and push it toward completion.
As the release neared, financiers insisted on clearing long-pending dues, risking yet another postponement. Pawan stepped in once again — waiving the ₹11 crore owed to him and personally assuring financiers, ensuring the film’s smooth release.
He even broke his usual low-promotion pattern and actively participated in publicity campaigns, despite knowing the film might not do well commercially.
Hari Hara Veera Mallu eventually released with paid premieres, and though it did not succeed at the box office, Pawan’s commitment to supporting his producer was unmistakable.
Similarly, Nandamuri Balakrishna stepped up to help Raam Achanta and Gopi Achanta of 14 Reels Plus, who have been facing financial setbacks for years.
He shifted Akhanda 2 from Miryala Ravinder Reddy to 14 Reels Plus and helped secure a Netflix deal along with strong theatrical business.
However, in this case, Balakrishna may have overlooked several risks. The budget reportedly ballooned to nearly ₹200 crore, and director Boyapati Sreenu’s remuneration was said to be around ₹35 crore.
Balakrishna himself charged a higher fee than his previous collaboration. Additionally, long-pending legal issues surrounding the production house were not addressed until the last minute, ultimately forcing a postponement of the release.
While Balakrishna has been aggressively promoting Akhanda 2 across multiple cities to support the producers, industry insiders feel that greater financial and legal due diligence ahead of release could have prevented the current crisis — something Pawan Kalyan managed more cautiously with Hari Hara Veera Mallu.
