For Telugu moviegoers anticipating a fiery Pongal/Sankranti at the cinemas, a plot twist may be simmering. Whispers are swirling that the highly anticipated releases of ‘Captain Miller’ and ‘Ayalaan’ might skip the festive frenzy altogether, opting for a slightly delayed Telugu debut. This unexpected turn is fueled by the already jam-packed Pongal release calendar, boasting five major Telugu films ready to lock horns at the box office.

Mahesh Babu's ‘Guntur Kaaram’, Venkatesh Daggubathi’s ‘ Saindhav ’ , Nagarjuna’s ‘Naa SaamiRanga’ , Ravi Teja’s ‘Eagle’ and Prashanth Varma's ‘HanuMan’ are all set to unleash their cinematic fireworks during Sankranti in Andhra Pradesh / Telangana states. This formidable lineup has sparked concerns about a box office bloodbath, with fears that smaller films, even those with the star power of Dhanush and Sivakarthikeyan, might get caught in the crossfire.

The makers of both Captain Miller and Ayalaan seem wary of getting swept away in the Pongal tide. With loyal Telugu fanbases for both Dhanush and Sivakarthikeyan, these films hold their own box office clout. However, risking a clash with established Telugu stars during a competitive season could potentially dim their own box office fortunes.

Hence, the whispers of a strategic retreat. A delay of a week or two after Pongal is being floated as a possible solution, allowing the initial Telugu onslaught to subside and creating a clearer path for Captain Miller and Ayalaan to conquer the box office.

While an official confirmation is yet to be issued, the mere possibility of a Pongal postponement has left Telugu fans in a state of anxious anticipation. Will Captain Miller and Ayalaan join the Pongal festivities, or will they wait for the dust to settle before making their grand Telugu entrance? Only time will tell how this Pongal box office saga unfolds, but one thing's certain: both Captain Miller and Ayalaan will be closely watched, regardless of their release date.

#Ayalaan AP & TS deal was made 3 months ago but it's finding difficult to find theatres due to Sankranthi Local Mad rush. It's unlikely it will make it for festival here but no decision was made yet. pic.twitter.com/F8s0Y7PBYk

— AndhraBoxOffice.Com (@AndhraBoxOffice) December 31, 2023