The Dussehra box office battle: Rajinikanth’s “Jailer 2” against Vijay Deverakonda’s “Ranabaali”

The hottest clash of the autumn in Indian cinema is taking shape: superstar Rajinikanth returns with the sequel “Jailer 2”, which goes head to head with Vijay Deverakonda’s epic action drama “Ranabaali” in the festive Dussehra window, as TeluguNow writes. Both films target the same October week and industry analysts are eagerly waiting to see which will dominate the box office.

“Jailer 2”, directed by Nelson Dilipkumar, opens in cinemas on October 15 and, according to TeluguNow, is already reported to have passed the figure of 600 crore rupees before its premiere. The sequel follows the record success of the first part, which revived Rajinikanth’s market, and is expected to perform strongly especially in Tamil Nadu.

A day later, on October 16, comes “Ranabaali” — a historical action drama directed by Rahul Sankrityan, starring Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna in the leading roles. TeluguNow reports that Deverakonda devoted himself to intensive preparations, including sword training and horse riding, while the film marks the Indian cinema debut of the actor known from “The Mummy”, Arnold Vosloo. After several consecutive box office failures, “Ranabaali” is seen as the decisive film for Deverakonda’s comeback.

Two more titles join the festival: “Adarsha Kutumbam” with Venkatesh, directed by Trivikram, and “Comrade Kalyan” with Sree Vishnu — both in cinemas on October 9, targeting family audiences. With four major releases within a few days, Dussehra 2026 promises one of the fiercest Indian box office battles of recent years.