Boyapati Sreenu has always been in his element whenever he has teamed up with Balakrishna. There is little doubt that he is an able filmmaker when it comes to understanding the Balakrishna pulse and energy. Akhanda 2, to be released in theatres on December 5, is his biggest movie yet.
While Akhanda 2 could register sensational openings in Telugu, it is important to temper expectations about its long-term impact, especially in Hindi. The song, Jajikaya, is underwhelming. An excellent trailer will surely undo this mood, but that's not the point.
Akhanda 2 probably needed a more intense, genre-oriented treatment rather than a Balakrishna-centric one. Unlike Akhanda, the sequel is being primed for the Hindi market as well. "The first song (the Thaandavam song) has shaken Mumbai," Balakrishna recently declared, confirming the impression that Akhanda 2 makers expect their movie to become a bigger hit than even Karthikeya 2 was in Hindi.
The Hindi audience don't perceive Balakrishna's heroism the same way as we do. Since Balayya is not young like Allu Arjun, they can't be expected to indulge his commercial hero trappings. Keeping all this in mind, Akhanda 2 should have been treated as a proper genre movie without distractions like Jajikaya.
