From New Year Day openings to festive Sankranti clashes, several films across genres are set to test box-office waters.

New Year Day releases gather pace

'Psych Siddharth' postponed to January 1

Srinandu and Yamini Bhaskar-starrer Psych Siddharth, tagged Meelanti Yuvakudi Katha (A story of a youth like you), will release on January 1 after being postponed from December 12 due to the release of a big-budget film on the same day.

Produced by Suresh Productions and Spirit Media, with Rana Daggubati as presenter, the film traces a young man's journey through love, business setbacks and career struggles. Narasimha, Priyanka, Rebecca Srinivas, Sukesh, Vadekar Nursing, Bobby and Sakshi Atri Chaturvedi play key roles.

'Vana Veera' arrives after title change

Avinash Tiruveedhula's debut film as actor-director, Vana Veera, will also release on January 1. The film was earlier titled Vanara but underwent a title change following censor issues.

Simran Choudhary plays the female lead, with Nandu in the antagonist's role. The cast includes Kona Venkat, Satya, Aamani and Khadgam Prithvi. Vivek Sagar has composed the music. The story revolves around a young man's love story and a bike theft that alters his life.

Crime and drama follow in early January

Sunny Leone headlines 'Trikha'

Sunny Leone plays CID officer Shivani Rathod in Trikha, directed by Rajesh Naidu, which is set for release on January 2. Produced by Sridevi Maddali and Ramesh Maddali, the film revolves around a series of missing cases and how the officer cracks them.

Yogesh Kalle, Akruthi Agarwal, CID Aditya Srinivas, Rajendran and Ashu Reddy appear in supporting roles.

'Neelakantha' explores stigma and redemption

Former child actor Mahendran plays the lead in Neelakantha, which follows a man falsely accused by his entire village and his struggle to clear his name.

Directed by Rakesh Madhavan, the film stars Neha Pathan, Yashna Muthuluri and Sneha Ullal as the female leads. It is produced by Marlappalli Srinivasulu and Venugopal Devi.

Sankranti season brings star power

Prabhas leads Sankranti with 'The Raja Saab'

Prabhas will enter theatres on January 9 with fantasy horror-comedy The Raja Saab, directed by Maruthi. Nidhhi Agerwal, Malavika Mohanan and Riddhi Kumar play the female leads, while Sanjay Dutt and Boman Irani appear in key roles.

Produced by T G Vishwa Prasad and Krithi Prasad, the film is said to revolve around a grandfather-grandson emotional track, inheritance disputes and humour, with Prabhas sporting multiple shades in his character.

Chiranjeevi returns with 'Mana Shankara Varaprasadaru'

Chiranjeevi-starrer Mana Shankara Varaprasadaru, directed by Anil Ravipudi, will release on January 12. Nayanthara plays his wife, Shashirekha, while Venkatesh appears in a pivotal role.

The film blends family emotions, comedy and an investigation angle. Producers Sahu Garapati and Sushmita Konidela have backed the project. The film also marks the first full-fledged on-screen collaboration between Chiranjeevi and Venkatesh.

Ravi Teja's 'Bhartamahashayulaku Vignapthi'

Ravi Teja's family entertainer Bhartamahashayulaku Vignapthi will also arrive during Sankranti. Directed by Kishore Tirumala, the film stars Dimple Hayathi and Aashika Ranganath.

Ravi Teja plays Rama Satya Narayana, whose marital life takes an unexpected turn during a trip to Spain. Satya, Vennela Kishore and Sunil feature in supporting roles. Sudhakar Cherukuri has produced the film.

Mid-January youth and family entertainers

Sharwanand's 'Nari Nari Naduma Murari'

Sharwanand's comedy entertainer Nari Nari Naduma Murari will release from the evening of January 14. The film revolves around a man caught between a former lover and his current partner at the same workplace.

Samyuktha and Sakshi Vaidya play the female leads. Ram Abbaraju has directed the film, which is produced by Anil Sunkara and Ramabrahmam Sunkara.

Naveen Polishetty's 'Anaganaga Oka Raju'

Naveen Polishetty's youthful family entertainer Anaganaga Oka Raju is slated for a January 14 release. Meenakshi Chaudhary plays the female lead.

Produced by Suryadevara Nagavamsi and Sai Soujanya, the film weaves romance, marriage, humour and family emotions, with wedding sequences and songs said to be major highlights.

Late January and beyond

'Om Shanti Shanti Shanti' on January 23

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti, starring Tarun Bhascker and Eesha Rebba, explores marital relationships and family values. Directed by A R Sajeev, the film is scheduled for release on January 23 and is backed by a group of producers including Srujan Errabolu and Vivek Krishnani.

Re-releases and dubbed films add to the buzz

The re-release trend continues into early 2026. Venkatesh and Aarthi Agarwal-starrer Nuvvu Naaku Nachav will be re-released on January 1, 2026.

Mahesh Babu's blockbuster Murari will return in a 4K version on December 31, ensuring it remains in theatres on New Year Day.

Among dubbed releases, Vijay's Jana Nayagan will release in Telugu as Jana Nayakudu on January 9, while Sivakarthikeyan's Parashakti is set for January 10. Kannada-Telugu bilingual Gatha Vaibhavam will release in Telugu on January 1.

Uncertainty over 'Alcohol' release

Allari Naresh's comedy thriller Alcohol, directed by Meher Tej, was earlier announced for a January 1 release. However, the makers are yet to confirm whether the film will stick to that date or shift to another slot later in the month.