# Akhanda
**Akhanda** (అఖండ) is a 2021 Indian Telugu-language action drama film written and directed by [Boyapati Srinu](https://www.edgepedia.org/boyapati-srinu), starring [Nandamuri Balakrishna](https://www.edgepedia.org/nandamuri-balakrishna) in a dual role alongside [Pragya Jaiswal](https://www.edgepedia.org/pragya-jaiswal), Jagapathi Babu, and Srikanth, with music by Thaman S.[1](https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/Akhanda?hl=en_IN&id=2CAF6E07B2DA00E7MV) Produced by Miryala Ravinder Reddy under Dwaraka Creations, it was released on 2 December 2021 and was reported by one source to be the second highest-grossing Telugu film of the year and the highest-grossing film of Balakrishna's career, with a reported worldwide gross of over ₹2.002 billion (₹200.20 crore), though another source gives a lower figure.[1](https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/Akhanda?hl=en_IN&id=2CAF6E07B2DA00E7MV) It was the third collaboration between Boyapati Srinu and Balakrishna after *Simha* and *Legend*.[2](https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/reviews/akhanda-movie-review-an-ultra-high-decibel-roar/article37803962.ece)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Director / producer | Written and directed by Boyapati Srinu; produced by Miryala Ravinder Reddy under Dwaraka Creations[1](https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/Akhanda?hl=en_IN&id=2CAF6E07B2DA00E7MV) |
| Lead roles | Balakrishna in a dual role as the Aghora ascetic Akhanda and as Murali Krishna[2](https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/reviews/akhanda-movie-review-an-ultra-high-decibel-roar/article37803962.ece) |
| Release | 2 December 2021, theatrical[1](https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/Akhanda?hl=en_IN&id=2CAF6E07B2DA00E7MV) |
| Opening business | Nearly ₹530 million (₹53 crore) in the first four days in the Telugu states; over $800K overseas in the opening weekend[3](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/telugu/nandamuri-balakrishna-starrer-akhanda-is-unstoppable-at-the-box-office-7658211/) |
| Worldwide gross | Over ₹2.002 billion (₹200.20 crore) per one source; over ₹1.2 billion (₹120 crore) per another (figures conflict)[1](https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/Akhanda?hl=en_IN&id=2CAF6E07B2DA00E7MV) • [4](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/nandamuri-balakrishna-telugu-movie-akhanda-to-release-in-hindi-8363131/) |
| Rank | Second highest-grossing Telugu film of 2021 and highest-grossing film of Balakrishna's career per one source[1](https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/Akhanda?hl=en_IN&id=2CAF6E07B2DA00E7MV) |
| Running time | 167 minutes[2](https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/reviews/akhanda-movie-review-an-ultra-high-decibel-roar/article37803962.ece) |
## Spoilers
### Plot
The story follows twins separated at birth. A swamiji who sees the newborns describes them as "one is nature, the other is cataclysm" (ఒకడు ప్రకృతి, మరొకడు ప్రళయం); the second child grows up in Kashi as Akhanda Sikindar Aghora (అఖండ సికిందర్ అఘోర), an ascetic of the Aghora tradition.[5](https://www.bbc.com/telugu/india-59509005) The other twin, Murali Krishna, is a Good Samaritan who has been instrumental in stopping faction strife, encouraging farmers to abandon factionalism for agriculture.[2](https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/reviews/akhanda-movie-review-an-ultra-high-decibel-roar/article37803962.ece) • [5](https://www.bbc.com/telugu/india-59509005)
The antagonists are a fake godman who killed a mutt chief, seized the mutt, and passes himself off as a guru, and the mine owner Varadaraju, who conducts unauthorized uranium mining that endangers villagers.[5](https://www.bbc.com/telugu/india-59509005) The 167-minute film begins and ends with carefully choreographed action sequences.[2](https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/reviews/akhanda-movie-review-an-ultra-high-decibel-roar/article37803962.ece)
### Cast and characters
Balakrishna plays both brothers: the demi-God-like Akhanda and Murali Krishna.[2](https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/reviews/akhanda-movie-review-an-ultra-high-decibel-roar/article37803962.ece) Pragya Jaiswal plays district collector Saranya Bachupalli, who falls in love with and marries Murali Krishna.[2](https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/reviews/akhanda-movie-review-an-ultra-high-decibel-roar/article37803962.ece) • [5](https://www.bbc.com/telugu/india-59509005) Srikanth is cast as the mine owner Varadaraju, and Jagapati Babu appears in the supporting cast.[2](https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/reviews/akhanda-movie-review-an-ultra-high-decibel-roar/article37803962.ece) • [1](https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/Akhanda?hl=en_IN&id=2CAF6E07B2DA00E7MV)
### Sequel and legacy
The film's success came as a much-needed break for the Telugu film industry as it tried to get back on its feet after being battered by two-year pandemic restrictions.[4](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/nandamuri-balakrishna-telugu-movie-akhanda-to-release-in-hindi-8363131/)
Ragalahari reported that *Akhanda 2: Thaandavam* was released in December 2025 and became a major box-office failure and a notable financial setback for its distributors.[6](https://www.ragalahari.com/movies/news/95762/akhanda-news) Ragalahari reported a vague update from Boyapati Srinu about *Akhanda 3*.[6](https://www.ragalahari.com/movies/news/95762/akhanda-news)
## Production
*Akhanda* is the third film Boyapati Srinu made with Balakrishna after *Simha* and *Legend*, and the two chose to raise the scale and the decibels for this outing.[2](https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/reviews/akhanda-movie-review-an-ultra-high-decibel-roar/article37803962.ece) The dialogues were written by M Ratnam.[2](https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/reviews/akhanda-movie-review-an-ultra-high-decibel-roar/article37803962.ece)
**Action choreography** dominated the schedule. Stun Siva and his sons Kevin and Steven supervised the second-half action; of the film's 80 working days, almost 65 were spent on action sequences.[3](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/telugu/nandamuri-balakrishna-starrer-akhanda-is-unstoppable-at-the-box-office-7658211/)
## Music
[Thaman S](https://www.edgepedia.org/thaman-s) composed the songs and the background score.[1](https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/Akhanda?hl=en_IN&id=2CAF6E07B2DA00E7MV) The BBC News Telugu review singled out the background music, noting that the spiritual sounds used to evoke a devotional atmosphere gave life to Boyapati's elevation sequences.[5](https://www.bbc.com/telugu/india-59509005) The film gained popularity because of its soundtrack, which outperformed the film's mixed critical reception.[1](https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/Akhanda?hl=en_IN&id=2CAF6E07B2DA00E7MV)
## Release
The film was released theatrically on 2 December 2021, during the Telugu film industry's recovery from two years of pandemic restrictions.[1](https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/Akhanda?hl=en_IN&id=2CAF6E07B2DA00E7MV) • [4](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/nandamuri-balakrishna-telugu-movie-akhanda-to-release-in-hindi-8363131/) It was screened at the [International Film Festival of India](https://www.edgepedia.org/international-film-festival-of-india) in the Indian Panorama mainstream section.[4](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/nandamuri-balakrishna-telugu-movie-akhanda-to-release-in-hindi-8363131/) A Hindi-dubbed version was released in cinemas by Pen Studios on January 20, 2023.[4](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/nandamuri-balakrishna-telugu-movie-akhanda-to-release-in-hindi-8363131/)
## Reception
**Critics** were mixed. *The Hindu* called the film strictly for Balakrishna's fanbase, describing the post-intermission stretch as tiresome and the background score as incessantly high-voltage.[2](https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/reviews/akhanda-movie-review-an-ultra-high-decibel-roar/article37803962.ece) The BBC News Telugu review found the second half heavy with religion-laced violence while praising Thaman's score.[5](https://www.bbc.com/telugu/india-59509005) The film opened to mixed reviews from critics and audiences overall.[1](https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/Akhanda?hl=en_IN&id=2CAF6E07B2DA00E7MV)
**Audiences** turned out in force. During the opening, over 95 percent of cinema halls reported housefull shows on a Sunday in [Telangana](https://www.edgepedia.org/telangana) and [Andhra Pradesh](https://www.edgepedia.org/andhra-pradesh).[3](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/telugu/nandamuri-balakrishna-starrer-akhanda-is-unstoppable-at-the-box-office-7658211/)
## Box office
Despite the mixed reviews, the film earned nearly ₹530 million (₹53 crore) from its first four days in the Telugu states, crossed ₹120 million (₹12 crore) in the Nizam territory, and garnered over $800K overseas in its opening weekend.[3](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/telugu/nandamuri-balakrishna-starrer-akhanda-is-unstoppable-at-the-box-office-7658211/)
The final worldwide gross is reported differently by credible sources. Indian Express states the film grossed over ₹1.2 billion (₹120 crore) from worldwide ticket sales,[4](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/nandamuri-balakrishna-telugu-movie-akhanda-to-release-in-hindi-8363131/) while the [Google Play](https://www.edgepedia.org/google-play) listing states it grossed over ₹2.002 billion (₹200.20 crore) worldwide.[1](https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/Akhanda?hl=en_IN&id=2CAF6E07B2DA00E7MV) The Google Play listing further states that the film emerged as the second highest-grossing Telugu film of 2021 and the highest-grossing film in Balakrishna's career.[1](https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/Akhanda?hl=en_IN&id=2CAF6E07B2DA00E7MV)
## References
1. [Akhanda – Movies on Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/Akhanda?hl=en_IN&id=2CAF6E07B2DA00E7MV)
2. ['Akhanda' movie review: Boyapati Srinu and Nandamuri Balakrishna's loud action entertainer is strictly for the fanbase, The Hindu](https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/reviews/akhanda-movie-review-an-ultra-high-decibel-roar/article37803962.ece)
3. [Nandamuri Balakrishna starrer Akhanda is unstoppable at the box office, Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/telugu/nandamuri-balakrishna-starrer-akhanda-is-unstoppable-at-the-box-office-7658211/)
4. [Nandamuri Balakrishna's Telugu hit Akhanda to release in Hindi, Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/nandamuri-balakrishna-telugu-movie-akhanda-to-release-in-hindi-8363131/)
5. [అఖండ సినిమా రివ్యూ: 'ఒకడు ప్రకృతి.. ఇంకొకడు ప్రళయం', BBC News Telugu](https://www.bbc.com/telugu/india-59509005)
6. [Akhanda News: Latest News and Updates about Akhanda, Ragalahari](https://www.ragalahari.com/movies/news/95762/akhanda-news)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Indian films (individual works) › Telugu films of the 2020s › Telugu films of 2020–2022*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license