Is This the First Hit Movie of 2026?

The mega star Chiranjeevi along with the director Anil Ravipudi has created a remarkable box office blockbuster with their latest movie, Mana Shankara Varaprasad Garu, which has been well accepted and is still playing in theaters. The movie has been termed as a possible career-high grosser for Chiranjeevi as it has earned a huge amount of ₹226 crores in just five days of its release, which is quite a staggering figure.

The film’s popularity or craze is very much visible in the advanced bookings and ticket sales. In BookMyShow alone, more than 2.5 million tickets have already been sold, thus making Mana Shankara Varaprasad Garu the fastest regional film to reach this milestone. Although tickets are still being sold, the film’s extraordinary momentum is being underlined by the selling out of tickets so quickly.

The family entertainer, which was released as a major Sankranthi attraction, has surpassed the already set high expectations.’ Achieving break-even status within five days is a rare feat, prompting fans and trade analysts alike to call it the first confirmed hit of 2026. The strong box office performance, coupled with positive audience reception, has firmly placed the film at the top of this year’s festive releases.

The film stars Nayanthara as the female lead, with Abhinav Gomatham, Sarath Saxena, Catherine, Srinivasa Reddy, Bulliraju fame Master Revanth and others in prominent roles. Music has been composed by Bheems, while the project is jointly produced by Sahu Garapati and Sushmita Konidela under the Shine Screen banner.

On the other hand, Sankranthi became a successful watching for Naveen Polishetty’s Anaganaga Oka Raju as it received strong collections and positive word of mouth from the very beginning. The movie which is a mix of comedy and family entertainment earned ₹41.20 crore within two days making it very close to the domino effect of break-even. Written by Naveen Polishetty himself, the film features him as a zamindar’s grandson and has been widely appreciated for its humour and performances. Meenakshi Chowdhury plays the female lead, supported by Rao Ramesh, Chammak Chandra, Mahesh and Master Revanth.

Adding to the festive cheer, Sharwanand’s Nari Nari Nadu Murari, directed by Ram Abburi of Samajavaragamana fame, also hit theatres during Sankranthi. Despite a limited initial release, the film received a clean hit talk. Encouraged by positive audience response, shows have been increased across regions, resulting in steady and promising collections.

With multiple films finding success this Sankranthi, Mana Shankara Varaprasad Garu clearly stands out, leading the box office race and setting a strong tone for Telugu cinema in 2026.

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