The Paradise is a 2026 Indian Telugu-language period action drama written and directed by Srikanth Odela. It stars Nani as Jadal, the unexpected leader of a marginalised community in 1980s Secunderabad, with Mohan Babu, Kayadu Lohar, Sonali Kulkarni and Raghav Juyal in key roles. The film is produced by Sudhakar Cherukuri under SLV Cinemas, with Ishan Saksena of IVY Entertainment as co-producer, and it features music by Anirudh Ravichander.

The film marks the second collaboration between Nani and Srikanth Odela after the 2023 hit Dasara. It was made on a reported budget of ₹150–200 crore, making it the costliest film of Nani’s career. After two postponements, The Paradise released in theatres worldwide on 24 September 2026 and recorded the biggest opening of Nani’s career. Its run then slowed sharply amid mixed to negative reviews, and it finished well short of its budget. The film is now set to stream on Netflix from 22 October 2026. This guide covers the story, the cast, the music, the release details, the OTT date, the box office numbers and the audience reception.

The Paradise – Movie Details

Category	Details
Movie Name	The Paradise
Release Date	24 September 2026 (paid previews on 23 September)
Country	India
Original Language	Telugu
Dubbed Versions	Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam (also planned in Bengali, English and Spanish)
Genre	Period Action Drama
Director	Srikanth Odela
Story	Srikanth Odela
Lead Cast	Nani, Mohan Babu, Kayadu Lohar, Sonali Kulkarni, Raghav Juyal
Supporting Cast	Sampoornesh Babu, Easwari Rao, Tanikella Bharani, Vishika, Raja Ravindra, Satya Prakash, Sathyaraj (cameo), Keerthy Suresh (special appearance)
Producers	Sudhakar Cherukuri, Ishan Saksena
Production Companies	SLV Cinemas, IVY Entertainment
Music	Anirudh Ravichander
Cinematography	CH Sai
Editing	Naveen Nooli
Production Design	Avinash Kolla
Runtime	173 minutes (as certified)
Certification	A (Adults Only)
Reported Budget	₹150–200 crore
Box Office Collection	Approximately ₹160–173 crore worldwide gross (tracker figures vary)
OTT Platform	Netflix (from 22 October 2026)

Plot of The Paradise

The Paradise is set in 1980s Secunderabad. At its centre is the Savari tribe, a marginalised community pushed to the edges of society, living in a sprawling settlement known as Paradise. The community is denied basic dignity and legal recognition, and it struggles to be accepted as citizens. Its members face discrimination, poverty and exploitation by a powerful feudal lord, Shikanja Malik, who treats the community as his own property.

Into this world comes Jadal, played by Nani, who is also known by the name Sarakka. He begins as one of the community’s own and, almost by accident, becomes the leader that the people have been waiting for. Under his guidance, the tribe starts to fight back against the system that has kept it down and to demand legal recognition from the government. His path puts him directly against Shikanja Malik and his son Vikram Malik, who was once Jadal’s childhood rival.

The mother-son bond between Jadal and his mother Samakka is described by the makers as the emotional core of the story, while his friendship with Biryani and his love story with Subbalakshmi add other layers. The film is packed with large action sequences, including a prison fight that took more than two weeks to shoot, and its tone is deliberately raw and violent. Nani has compared the scale and wildness of the film to the Mad Max franchise, calling it India’s Mad Max in interviews, and director Srikanth Odela has said he wanted to present oppression and social taboos in an unfiltered way.

The Paradise Cast and Characters

The Paradise cast combines a leading Telugu star with a veteran actor, a Marathi film and television actress making her Telugu debut and a Bollywood actor in his first Telugu film.

Nani as Jadal alias Sarakka: Nani plays the leader of the Savari tribe. He underwent a major physical transformation for the role, with a muscular look, long hair and a now much-discussed braided hairstyle. The film gave him the biggest opening of his career, and his performance remained one of the most consistently praised parts of the film even among reviewers who did not like the screenplay.

Mohan Babu as Shikanja Malik: The veteran actor plays the film’s main power figure, a feudal lord who controls the lives of the tribe. He completed his portions in about 20 days of shooting in December 2025.

Kayadu Lohar as Subbalakshmi (Subbu): Kayadu Lohar plays Jadal’s love interest. She was formally confirmed as the female lead in April 2026.

Sonali Kulkarni as Samakka: The acclaimed actress plays Jadal’s mother, in her Telugu film debut. The mother-son relationship is meant to be the heart of the film.

Cast and Characters

Raghav Juyal as Vikram Malik: The actor, known for Kill (2024), makes his Telugu debut as Shikanja’s son and Jadal’s childhood rival. Odela has said he chose Juyal after seeing his performance in Kill, even though the team had originally imagined a different type of actor for the antagonist.

Sampoornesh Babu as Biryani: Jadal’s close friend, who is shown in a violent and intense avatar.

Easwari Rao, Tanikella Bharani, Vishika, Raja Ravindra, Satya Prakash, Krishna Teja and others: Other actors in the ensemble include Easwari Rao as a friend of Jadal’s mother, Tanikella Bharani as Shikanja’s right-hand man Metta, Vishika as Devi, and Satya Prakash as an inspector.

Sathyaraj and Keerthy Suresh: Sathyaraj appears in a cameo as the advocate Nanbaa, a friend of Shikanja. Keerthy Suresh makes a special appearance as a dancer in the song “Yeshanagula”, reuniting with Nani and Odela after Dasara.

Why The Paradise Was One of the Biggest Telugu Films of 2026

Several factors made the Nani The Paradise project a major event before release.

Nani’s biggest bet. Nani is known for realistic and likeable characters in films such as Jersey and Hi Nanna. The Paradise shifted him into a rugged mass-action image on a scale he had never attempted, with a budget reported between ₹150 crore and ₹200 crore.

The Dasara reunion. Srikanth Odela made his directorial debut with Dasara in 2023, a rustic action drama starring Nani and Keerthy Suresh, and the team’s second film was expected to be bigger and wilder.

Anirudh Ravichander’s music. The composer previously worked with Nani on Jersey and Nani’s Gang Leader. The first single “Aaya Sher” crossed 200 million views on YouTube.

Practical sets instead of CGI. The makers built a huge slum set that took about five months to construct and covered around 30 acres, along with a 2.5-acre water village and a 60-foot hero house. A large part of the film was shot on these physical sets.

A wide release. The film was planned for release in eight languages, including Bengali, English and Spanish, along with Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam and Kannada.

Production, Creative and Technical Aspects

Development and Story

Nani, Srikanth Odela and producer Sudhakar Cherukuri announced their reunion on 30 March 2024, the first anniversary of Dasara’s release, under the working title Nani 33. Odela spent close to two years on the script, which he co-wrote with several writers. The formal puja was held on 13 October 2024, coinciding with Dussehra, and the official title The Paradise was announced on 6 November 2024. The film was designed as a period action drama in the Secunderabad of the 1980s.

Casting and Characters

Anirudh Ravichander was confirmed as composer in October 2024. Raghav Juyal and Kayadu Lohar joined the cast in 2025, followed by Mohan Babu, Sonali Kulkarni and Sampoornesh Babu. G. K. Vishnu was originally announced as cinematographer but was later replaced by CH Sai.

Filming and Locations

Regular filming began on 21 June 2025 in Hyderabad. Much of the shoot took place on purpose-built sets, and Ramoji Film City served as a major location. The production eventually crossed 100 shooting days. By January 2026, the producer said about 60 percent of the film was complete, and rain damage to sets and winter conditions slowed the schedule. In May 2026, the makers denied rumours of reshoots. The final schedule at Ramoji Film City began in early September 2026, just weeks before release.

The tight timeline meant the film reached theatres without a conventional theatrical trailer, which Nani explained as a decision to put all remaining time into completing the film itself.

Production Companies

The film is produced by Sudhakar Cherukuri under Sri Lakshmi Venkateshwara Cinemas (SLV Cinemas), with IVY Entertainment’s Ishan Saksena as co-producer. Think Studios handled distribution in Tamil Nadu, Wayfarer Films in Kerala, and Prathyangira Cinemas bought the overseas rights, releasing the film itself in North America.

Cinematography, Editing and Action

CH Sai handled the cinematography, and Naveen Nooli edited the film. Avinash Kolla is credited as production designer, Ajay Kumar J as costume designer and Naresh Yalla as VFX supervisor. The action was designed by a team that includes Ram Lakshman, Real Satish, Maibam Nabakanta and Simhadri. Reports in early September 2026 said that some VFX work around the climax was still pending shortly before release, and multiple post-production units worked at the same time to meet the date.

Music and Soundtrack Details

The Paradise has music by Anirudh Ravichander, in his third collaboration with Nani. The audio rights were acquired by Saregama in what was reported as an industry-first deal.

1. The Paradise Theme

“The Paradise Theme” was first heard in the film’s early teaser released on 15 May 2025. It is an anthemic composition that sets the mass-action tone of the film.

2. Aaya Sher

“Aaya Sher” is the introduction song for Nani’s character and the first single, released on 24 February 2026, around Nani’s birthday. It was shot on a massive set at Ramoji Film City with hundreds of dancers, with choreography by Sudhan Master, and it crossed 200 million views on YouTube.

3. Yeshanagula

“Yeshanagula” is a recreation of the Telugu folk song “Yeshanagula Kattameeda”. It was unveiled at Anirudh’s concert in Dallas and features Keerthy Suresh in a special appearance opposite Nani. The song became popular on social media through dance videos.

Background Score

Anirudh’s music was one of the elements most often praised, even by reviewers who were less impressed by the story.

Release Date and Theatrical Distribution

The Paradise Release Details

Detail	Information
Film Title	The Paradise
Release Date in India	24 September 2026
Paid Preview Shows	23 September 2026
Earlier Planned Dates	26 March 2026, then 21 August 2026
Teaser Release Date	6 August 2026 (an earlier glimpse came out in March 2025)
Trailer	No conventional theatrical trailer was released
Certification	A (Adults Only)
Runtime	173 minutes
Languages	Telugu, with Hindi, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam versions
Production Companies	SLV Cinemas, IVY Entertainment
OTT Release Date	22 October 2026
OTT Platform	Netflix

Official Release Date

The Paradise released worldwide on 24 September 2026. The film was originally scheduled for 26 March 2026, which was moved to 21 August 2026 and then to 24 September 2026. In early September, reports suggested that pending visual effects work might push the release again, but the makers reaffirmed the 24 September date. Paid preview shows were held on the evening of 23 September.

Certification and Runtime

The Central Board of Film Certification gave the film an A certificate for strong violence. The runtime was finalised at 173 minutes after some violent visuals and profanities were censored. The A certificate means that viewers under 18 cannot watch the film in theatres, and this may have limited its appeal for family audiences.

Worldwide Theatrical Release

The film released worldwide in Telugu, with dubbed versions in Hindi, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam. The Telugu-speaking states accounted for the vast majority of its earnings, followed by the Hindi version, while the Tamil version earned the least. Overseas, the film opened in North America, the UAE and other markets.

OTT Release and Streaming Availability

Netflix has announced that The Paradise will begin streaming on 22 October 2026. It will be available in Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam. The announcement was made on 18 October 2026, about four weeks after the theatrical release.

The Netflix version is expected to give viewers who skipped the theatrical run, including audiences in the Hindi, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam markets, a chance to watch the film at home. Viewers should check Netflix for the exact version, runtime and any changes to the theatrical cut.

Budget and Box Office Collection

The Paradise Budget and Box Office

Box Office Detail	Reported Figures
Reported Budget	₹150–200 crore (costliest film of Nani’s career)
Release Date	24 September 2026
Opening Day India Net	About ₹34.65 crore
Opening Day India Gross	About ₹54.9 crore (including previews)
Opening Day Overseas	About ₹22 crore
Opening Day Worldwide Gross	About ₹76.9 crore
Opening Day Occupancy	Around 47–49%
India Net Collection	About ₹120.8 crore
India Gross Collection	About ₹130–142 crore (depending on tracker)
Overseas Collection	About ₹30 crore (about USD 3.1 million in one final report)
Worldwide Gross	About ₹160–173 crore (depending on tracker)
Language-Wise India Net	Telugu about ₹108 crore, Hindi about ₹10.5 crore, Tamil about ₹2.2 crore
Verdict	Commercial disappointment against its budget

Figures differ between trackers. Some final reports put the worldwide gross near ₹159.5 crore, while others show totals above ₹170 crore.

Production Budget

The reported budget of The Paradise ranges between ₹150 crore and ₹200 crore. The makers have not published an official figure, so these are industry estimates and not audited numbers. The film’s extensive physical sets, large action sequences, a high-priced cast and a long production schedule all added to the cost. Whatever number is used, it was Nani’s most expensive film by a wide margin.

Opening Day Box Office Collection

On 24 September 2026, The Paradise opened with an India net collection of about ₹34.65 crore, after paid previews the night before. The India gross including previews was about ₹54.9 crore, and the overseas gross was around ₹22 crore, bringing the opening-day worldwide gross to about ₹76.9 crore. Occupancy was close to 47 to 49 percent across more than 9,700 shows. This was the biggest opening of Nani’s career and his first opening above ₹50 crore gross.

Weekend and First Week

The film reached a worldwide gross near ₹98.5 crore by the end of the second day. After that, the numbers dropped sharply, as audience reactions turned mixed. The A certificate may also have limited family audiences. The India net total crossed ₹100 crore within the first week. By the end of the second week, the India net was around ₹119 crore, and the film was adding less than ₹1 crore a day from the third week onward.

India Net, Gross and Worldwide Collection

India net refers to ticket revenue after tax deductions, and India gross is the revenue before those deductions, so the two figures are not interchangeable. The film ended its theatrical run with an India net of roughly ₹120 crore, an India gross between ₹130 crore and ₹142 crore and an overseas gross of around ₹30 crore. Worldwide gross is the total of these markets and is not the same as the money received by producers and distributors, which is much lower.

Overall, the huge opening was not matched by word of mouth, and the film fell short of recovering its large budget through theatrical earnings alone. Its streaming deal and other non-theatrical rights will play a major role in the final financial picture.

Ratings, Reviews and Audience Reception

Rating Platform	Rating / Review
BookMyShow	Audience reviews listed; ratings varied, and the platform reportedly disabled ratings for a period after concerns about genuine reviews were raised
IMDb	Page listed; a verified aggregate rating was not available at the time of writing
PVR INOX	Audience reviews available; no verified aggregate rating
Critics’ Overall Response	Mostly 1 to 2 out of 5

Ratings and vote counts change over time, so please check the current listings before relying on any score.

Critics’ Response

Critical response was largely negative. Reviewers praised Nani’s committed performance, the production values, the scale of the sets and Anirudh Ravichander’s music. They criticised the screenplay for being overcrowded, the editing for not giving scenes room to breathe and the heavy dependence on violence over emotion. Many felt the mother-son bond that was supposed to anchor the film did not land, and several described the film as familiar in its ideas despite its ambition.

Audience Response

Audience reaction was more divided than the critics’ response. Many fans of Nani enjoyed his mass avatar and the high-voltage action in the first half, while the second half drew complaints about pacing and a weaker narrative. Audience engagement on ticketing platforms was substantial, with ratings varying across listings. After the release, Nani acknowledged the criticism and said he had taken note of the flaws pointed out by reviewers and viewers, while thanking the audience for its love.

Where to Watch The Paradise

The Paradise has completed most of its theatrical run, and the film is now moving to streaming.

• Netflix: Streaming from 22 October 2026 in Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam.
• BookMyShow: Check for any remaining theatre shows in your city.
• District: Browse local listings for ongoing screenings.
• PVR INOX: Look for remaining shows at participating cinemas.
• Cinépolis India: Check available shows at participating locations.

With the OTT release only days away, cinema availability is limited and depends on the city and the screen.

Is The Paradise Worth Watching?

The Paradise is worth considering for viewers who enjoy large-scale, violent mass action and want to see Nani in a completely different avatar. Its strengths are Nani’s intense performance, the scale of its physical sets, the stunt choreography and Anirudh Ravichander’s music. The setting of 1980s Secunderabad and the story of a marginalised tribe seeking recognition give it a distinctive premise.

On the other hand, reviews point to a cluttered screenplay, underwritten characters, uneven pacing in the second half and graphic violence that is not for everyone. The A certificate also makes it unsuitable for children and many family viewers. Overall, it works best for dedicated Nani fans and action lovers who can accept its flaws, and it is a good candidate for an at-home watch on Netflix, where viewers can pause or skip as they wish.

Frequently Asked Questions