The Sankranthi 2026 calendar is almost locked, with three major Telugu films and one Tamil release set to clash at the box office. The festive season will see Prabhas, Chiranjeevi, Vijay, and Naveen Polishetty competing for audience attention.
Mana Shankara Varaprasad Garu
Megastar Chiranjeevi’s film with Anil Ravipudi, Mana Shankara Varaprasad Garu, has officially secured the Sankranthi slot. Earlier, it was speculated that “Vishwambhara” would take the festive window while Ravipudi’s film would shift to summer, but the makers have now clarified the change. The director is known for his Sankranthi hits such as Sarileru Neekevvaru and Sankranthiki Vasthunnam. Confident in the sentiment, he has positioned the film as a festive entertainer with the tagline “Pandagaki Vasthunnaru.”
The Raja Saab
Prabhas’s “The Raja Saab,” directed by Maruthi, was initially slated for release on December 5, 2025. Insiders confirm that it has now been moved to January 10, 2026, to join the Sankranthi race. This marks Prabhas’s first direct festival clash with Chiranjeevi, and his first Sankranthi release in over a decade.
Starring Nidhhi Agerwal and Malavika Mohanan, “The Raja Saab” is undoubtedly the biggest-ticket release of the season.
Anaganaga Oka Raju
Naveen Polishetty’s “Anaganaga Oka Raju” will also arrive for Sankranthi. Despite its modest scale, the makers are confident in its appeal. In production for nearly three years, the film has already locked this slot since April 2025, making a delay almost unthinkable. The film features Meenakshi Chaudhary alongside Polishetty. Interestingly, she scored the biggest hit of her career during Sankranthi 2025, and the team hopes to recreate the same success.
Jana Nayagan
Thalapathy Vijay’s “Jana Nayagan” comes with enormous buzz as it is set to be his last film before entering full-time politics. With his political party contesting all seats in the upcoming Tamil Nadu assembly elections, this film is being positioned as a grand farewell to cinema. In Tamil Nadu, it is expected to create a frenzy. However, the Telugu release is uncertain, as its story closely resembles Balakrishna’s Bhagavanth Kesari.
