Cinematographers : C Ramprasad, Santoshh D Detakae
Editor : Tammiraju
Story
After losing his son, General Chan of China declares a covert biowarfare assault on India. He chooses a moment of national vulnerability, unleashing a deadly bio-weapon aimed at mass destruction.
Akhanda (Nandamuri Balakrishna) becomes the only force standing between the nation and catastrophe. How he discovers the cure, unmasks the masterminds, and dismantles the plan forms the core of Akhanda 2, while various subplots circle around the bio-weapon conspiracy.
Performances
Balakrishna is unquestionably the soul of Akhanda 2, just as he was in the first film. He appears to enjoy the role thoroughly—his effort, body language, and voice modulation all reflect deep commitment. The ageing of the character is handled neatly, and the actor supports it with subtle changes in his performance.
However, beyond the updated physical appearance, the character adds nothing new to the franchise. Still, Balayya’s sincerity and total immersion keep the film afloat whenever the writing weakens.
Balakrishna’s second role also arrives with a powerful introduction, but the film barely utilizes it, as the narrative relies almost entirely on the Akhanda persona.
Directed by Boyapati Sreenu, Akhanda 2 marks his fourth collaboration with Balakrishna and serves as a direct sequel to their previous blockbuster.
A Promising Start… That Quickly Slips
The film opens strongly with an intriguing continuation of Akhanda’s arc. The titles roll impressively, building anticipation. But the momentum breaks as soon as the second character, Balamurali Krishna, enters. His introductory fight is decent, but the scenes that follow lack energy, giving the film a fatigued vibe.
Weak Biowarfare Plot
The biggest drawback is the superficial treatment of the central biowarfare theme. The narrative feels like it was stitched together from social media forwards rather than solid research. The political sequences and the Chinese headquarters where the villains scheme look tacky and artificial.
Predictability Everywhere
The sequel suffers heavily from predictability. There are no surprises, no gripping turns, and no menacing villain like the one who powered the original. The first half piles up formulaic action and chaotic events until the interval fight—an expected highlight in Boyapati–Balayya films. Fortunately, the interval block works reasonably well and raises hopes for the second half.
Second Half: Action Overload, Emotional Underwhelm
The post-interval narrative introduces a new antagonist, briefly boosting the tension. But the subplot is soon reduced to a filler designed to justify more action scenes. While some of these sequences are enjoyable, they ultimately feel like runtime extensions rather than organic developments.
Two emotional tracks—both devotional in nature—occur back-to-back. Despite the ideas being right, they fail to evoke emotion. One turns into a lengthy lecture; the other overstays its welcome.
The climax is loud, overdramatic, and visually messy. The dialogues especially feel forced and politically charged, often sounding like statements rather than character-driven lines.
In the end, the film rests entirely on Balakrishna’s shoulders—but even his earnest performance cannot fully rescue it.
Performances by Others
Akhanda 2 features several known faces, but almost none get roles with depth or impact.
Aadhi Pinisetty is the biggest disappointment. His character promises intrigue but is written out too quickly.
Samyuktha Menon is reduced to a token song appearance.
Harshali Malhotra (of Bajrangi Bhaijaan fame) gets a sizable role and performs decently.
Saswata Chatterjee is underutilized and given very little to work with.
Thaman’s music leans heavily on background score, but it never matches the thunderous impact of the first film. The second half fares slightly better BGM-wise, but the first half is weak.
Cinematography is good in non-VFX scenes, but the visual effects-heavy portions appear messy and outdated. Fast cuts feel jarring, and the VFX integration is inconsistent.
The writing and dialogues suffer from over-politicization and a dated style, diluting the emotional gravity and narrative flow.
Verdict
Akhanda 2 begins with promise but quickly loses steam, recovering only around the interval. A few action blocks in the second half work, but the film never rises above its predictable writing and superficial plot.
For Balakrishna fans, it may offer an average theatrical experience.
For others, it works only if expectations are set very low—especially for a sequel to one of Balayya–Boyapati’s biggest hits.
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