Box Office: After Daaku Maharaaj's middling Rs 115 crore lifetime worldwide gross, Balayya returns to his Akhanda avatar

Starring Nandamuri Balakrishna, Daaku Maharaaj wrapped its theatrical run with Rs 115 crore gross globally. Balayya is now gearing up for Akhanda 2.

By Nisha Singh

Updated on Jan 30, 2025 | 02:14 PM IST | 20.2K

Picture courtesy: Nandamuri Balakrishna/Instagram; Dwaraka Creations/YouTube

Directed by Bobby Kolli, Daaku Maharaaj was released on January 12, 2025, coinciding with Makar Sankranthi weekend. The period action masala film starred Telugu actor-politician Nandamuri Balakrishna in the lead role. Also featuring Pragya Jaiswal, Urvashi Rautela, and Bobby Deol, the Tollywood movie emerged as an average grosser with Rs 115 crore in its final global run.

After Daaku Maharaaj's Average Verdict; Balayya Goes Into Akhanda Mode

While Daaku Maharaaj wasn't a winner, Nandamuri Balakrishna aka Balayya now has Akhanda 2: Thaandavam in the pipeline. Directed by Boyapati Sreenu, the upcoming film is a sequel to action drama, Akhanda, which was released in 2021. It marks the reunion of Balayya and Boyapati Sreenu after four years. Apart from Akhanda, they have also delivered hits like Simha and Legend.

Akhanda 2 went on floors in December 2024. It will be released on September 25, 2025 on Dussehra. Akhanda, which featured NBK in an Aghori avatar, was a blockbuster and turned out to be his highest grosser with a global lifetime business of Rs 120.8 crore. The sequel should emerge as a successful venture. The occasion of Dussehra is expected to benefit the upcoming film at the box office, especially for its opening day.

Daaku Maharaaj Grosses Rs 115 Crore As Its Lifetime Business In Global Markets

Co-produced by Sithara Entertainments, Daaku Maharaaj reached the finish line while bringing the lifetime business of Rs 115 crore at the worldwide box office. In India, Balayya-starrer grossed Rs 96.75 crore and in overseas markets, the Telugu period action film fetched Rs 18.25 crore in the final runtime. Going by Sankranthi festival and Balayya's hot form at the box office, it could have added atleast Rs 30 crore more to its final collection, ranging between Rs 145 crore and Rs 150 crore.

Daaku Maharaaj had high expectations for its performance at the box office. The 2025 Telugu film had a phenomenal business in the first week as it receives boost due to Sankranthi festival. However, later on, Bobby Kolli's helmer couldn't gain the momentum as expected, despite Balayya's strong presence. It faced its rival release, Sankranthiki Vasthunam as a strong competition.

Disclaimer: The box office figures are compiled from various sources and our research. The figures can be approximate, and Pinkvilla does not make any claims about the authenticity of the data. However, they are adequately indicative of the box-office performance of the films in question.