Director Buchi Babu Sana recently locked June 25 as the release date for Ram Charan’s Peddi, a period action drama co-starring Janhvi Kapoor. The move ended hopes of an early June release and has now placed Akhil Akkineni’s Lenin (featuring Meenakshi Chaudhary as the leading lady ) in a tricky situation, as the film is already slated for June 26. Both films are aiming at a wide release.

Akkineni Nagarjuna, one of the producers of Lenin, appears unfazed by the competition. The actor recently watched the first cut of his son’s rural romantic action entertainer and expressed immense confidence on social media. “I say this with confidence and pride… you are about to witness a new AKHIL on June 26, 2026. Mark the date,” he wrote, effectively reaffirming the planned release despite the looming clash.

watched the first cut of our film LENIN last night.
I say this with confidence and pride… you are about to witness a new AKHIL on June 26 2026.
mark the date!!!
see you in the theatres🔥

— Nagarjuna Akkineni (@iamnagarjuna) April 29, 2026

Ram Charan and Akhil Akkineni share a close off-screen bond. Akhil had once described Charan as his “3 a.m. friend.” “Our bonding is more than that. I have a handful of friends and some people are very special, and Charan is right up there,” Akhil had said in an earlier interview. But friendship and business rarely operate on the same script in cinema. If both films hold their dates, Tollywood could witness one of its most interesting face-offs in recent times.

Fans are also wondering why Peddi doesn’t move to June 4, recently vacated by Toxic. The date offers a huge solo-release advantage. However, the likely hurdle could be pending post-production work and heavy VFX requirements.
Another possibility remains whether Lenin could shift to June 4 instead. Yet Nagarjuna’s emphatic June 26 post suggests the team has little intention of moving. As of now, Ram Charan and Akhil Akkineni appear headed for a high-stakes back-to-back box office showdown.

Also Read: Ram Charan-starrer Peddi to Release on June 25, Confirms Director

Samantha Ruth Prabhu has recently commenced promotions for her upcoming crime thriller, Maa Inti Bangaram (MIB). Directed by Nandini Reddy, the film is currently slated for release on May 15, 2026. However, just as promotions begin to gather momentum, Samantha and her team are reportedly evaluating a fresh development.

MIB distributors’ concern

The cascading effect of the IPL is no longer unusual, as it often influences film release dates. As the tournament moves closer to the knockout phase, audience interest intensifies. The massive popularity of the IPL is now said to be impacting the release strategy of Maa Inti Bangaram. According to sources, distributors of the film have advised the team to avoid clashing with the cricket tournament’s peak viewership. Buyers are reportedly suggesting a June 4 release date, which would also coincide with the end of the IPL season. However, Samantha is yet to take a final call. She also produces the film under her banner while her husband Raj Nidimoru serves as the creator

While the actress is said to be confident that the film will connect with audiences, she also reportedly understands the concerns of distributors. Samantha, who is also backing the project, is currently reviewing the matter. A decision may be taken after consultations with key stakeholders. Historically, April-May has often been a cautious release window for filmmakers due to IPL viewership, though strong content has occasionally broken through the competition. The MIB team is expected to reassess the situation and plan promotions accordingly.

MIB garners curiosity

Maa Inti Bangaram remains one of the more anticipated films of the summer. Apart from being headlined by Samantha Ruth Prabhu, the project also reunites the actress with director Nandini Reddy for the third time, further raising expectations. The film reportedly features Samantha as a newlywed woman on a mission, hiding a violent past.

Also Read: Samantha Ruth Prabhu Celebrates Birthday With Fans

Kritika Kamra, who has been gaining attention for her performance in the show Matka King, recently opened up about the hurdles she faced during her transition from television to the film industry. In a conversation with News18, she shared insights into the darker aspects of the business, including a brush with the casting couch and the persistent bias against TV actors.

Talking about her early days in the industry, Kritika addressed the uncomfortable reality of the casting couch. She admitted that while she was aware of the rumours, her own escape from such a situation was largely due to fortune.

She said, “I had heard about things like the casting couch. My parents had read about it in the papers. I also had a brush with it but got off unscathed. It was just luck and chance. It wasn’t because I was too smart. I really wasn’t because when I had started out, I was really young.”

Despite her success in the streaming space, Kritika mentioned that the stigma around television actors remains a challenge in Bollywood. She described the industry’s social structure as being akin to feudalism, where actors are often judged based on the medium they started in.

She explained, “I’ve experienced this hierarchy. I was happily doing TV, and, in my head, there was no difference between TV and films.” Coming from a small town, her perspective was simple: “Anybody who was onscreen was an actor for me. I wasn’t aware of this unsaid hierarchy, which is like feudalism in a way. I also wasn’t aware of how one is perceived because of their onscreen presence and characters.”

Kritika who calls herself a feminist revealed how she has been selective about her roles, often turning down big-budget films if the characters lacked depth or agency. She shared that she has always tried to steer clear of regressive themes, even during her time on television.

She said, “I’m a feminist. I say it proudly. I care about how female characters are portrayed onscreen. Even on TV, I stayed away from kitchen dramas or shows where certain regressive themes were glorified. I tried to do the more progressive stuff.”

This commitment to meaningful roles continued as she moved into films. Speaking about her debut and the offers that followed, she shared, “Even in my first film, Mitron, I wasn’t a damsel in distress. I was a heroine with agency. But after that, I typically got offered a couple of films where I had two scenes and a song. I said no to those. I don’t want to do just about anything to be a part of a big film.”

Currently, Kritika can be seen in Matka King, directed by Nagraj Manjule, alongside Vijay Varma and Sai Tamhankar. On a personal note, she also recently celebrated a new chapter in her life, having married sports commentator Gaurav Kapur in an intimate ceremony.

Also Read: Neha Dhupia Shares Heartwarming Clicks From Gaurav Kapur and Kritika Kamra’s Wedding