Tollywood Roundup: Ram Charan’s Twins, Mahesh Babu’s Rudhra Look, Allu Arjun Court Case and ‘Irumudi’ Success
From Ram Charan and Upasana Konidela’s growing family to fresh promotional material from Mahesh Babu and SS Rajamouli’s Varanasi, legal proceedings involving Allu Arjun and Ravi Teja’s successful Irumudi run, Telugu cinema has seen several major developments through 2026. Here is a fact-checked roun
a fact-checked roundup of major Tollywood developments in 2026
Table of Contents (15 sections)
HYDERABAD, September 20, 2026: Tollywood has remained busy with major film announcements, family celebrations, legal developments, theatrical successes and new OTT releases.
Several stories involving some of Telugu cinema’s biggest stars have attracted significant attention this year. However, not all of them happened recently, making the dates important when presenting them as part of a current industry roundup.
Key Takeaways
Ram Charan and Upasana Konidela welcomed twins on January 31, 2026.
Mahesh Babu’s new Rudhra images from Varanasi were released on his 51st birthday.
Allu Arjun appeared virtually in the Sandhya Theatre case on June 22, 2026.
Ravi Teja’s Irumudi has emerged as a major 2026 success and is now streaming on Netflix.
Rashmika Mandanna has been cast as MS Subbulakshmi in a biopic.
Nani’s The Paradise is scheduled for theatrical release on September 24, 2026.
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Nagarjuna Akkineni’s milestone film unveiled its official title and first glimpse on his 67th birthday, while Ravi Teja’s Irumudi continues its fourth-week theatrical run with worldwide collections estimated above ₹232 crore.
Ram Charan and Upasana Welcomed Twins
Ram Charan and entrepreneur Upasana Konidela welcomed twins — a baby boy and a baby girl — on January 31, 2026.
The news was officially announced by Ram Charan’s father, actor Chiranjeevi, who said at the time that both babies and their mother were healthy.
The twins joined Ram Charan and Upasana’s elder daughter Klin Kaara, who was born in June 2023.
The couple later introduced the twins publicly as Shivram and Anveera Devi, sharing a family post in June.
More recently, Upasana shared another rare family glimpse during Janmashtami celebrations in September, featuring Ram Charan, Klin Kaara and the twins together.
The development is therefore genuine, although it should not be presented as breaking September news because the twins were born at the end of January.
Mahesh Babu’s New Rudhra Images Released on Birthday
Mahesh Babu celebrated his 51st birthday on August 9, 2026, with the makers of SS Rajamouli’s Varanasi releasing two new images of the actor as Rudhra.
The photographs were captured during the film’s Africa schedule, including locations around the Maasai Mara and Kilimanjaro.
Rajamouli described Rudhra as a character combining humour, vulnerability and tremendous strength, praising Mahesh Babu’s ability to bring those contrasting qualities together.
Actors including Jr NTR and Prithviraj Sukumaran were among those who publicly wished Mahesh Babu on his birthday, while Priyanka Chopra also shared a birthday message connected to their work together on Varanasi.
Was This Rudhra’s First-Ever Reveal?
Not exactly.
Mahesh Babu had already been officially introduced as Rudhra during the grand GlobeTrotter event in Hyderabad on November 15, 2025, when the title Varanasi and the film’s first major glimpse were unveiled.
That presentation featured Mahesh as Rudhra riding a bull and holding a trident.
The August 2026 birthday material is therefore more accurately described as new Rudhra stills or a fresh look at the character, rather than the first-ever reveal.
Varanasi Confirmed for April 2027
SS Rajamouli’s Varanasi is currently scheduled for a worldwide theatrical release on April 7, 2027.
The release date was officially confirmed by the makers in January 2026.
Alongside Mahesh Babu as Rudhra, the film features Priyanka Chopra as Mandakini and Prithviraj Sukumaran as Kumbha.
MM Keeravani is composing the music.
The project has been positioned as a large-scale action-adventure and is among the most closely watched Telugu productions heading into 2027.
Allu Arjun Appeared Virtually in Sandhya Theatre Case
Another major development involving a leading Telugu actor came in June, when Allu Arjun appeared virtually before Hyderabad’s Nampally court in connection with the Sandhya Theatre stampede case.
The confirmed appearance took place on June 22, 2026, after the actor sought permission to participate through video conference because of film-shooting commitments in Mumbai.
The court permitted the virtual appearance.
Police have named Allu Arjun as Accused No. 11 in the case related to the December 4, 2024, incident during a special screening of Pushpa 2: The Rule.
A woman died in the incident and her son was seriously injured.
The fact that Allu Arjun has been named as an accused should not be described as a finding of guilt. The matter is part of ongoing judicial proceedings, and legal responsibility must be determined through the court process.
This distinction is essential in any publication covering the case.
Chiranjeevi Praises Ravi Teja’s ‘Irumudi’
Ravi Teja’s Irumudi, directed by Shiva Nirvana, has emerged as one of the notable Telugu box-office successes of 2026.
The film opened theatrically on August 21 and subsequently received public praise from Chiranjeevi.
In a message shared in late August, Chiranjeevi congratulated Ravi Teja and the Irumudi team on the film’s success and described Ravi Teja’s performance as “phenomenal.”
Chiranjeevi later met Ravi Teja, Shiva Nirvana and the film’s producers in person.
Ram Charan was also present during a separate interaction with the team, with photographs of the meetings shared publicly.
Reports in mid-September placed the film’s worldwide gross above ₹220 crore, although box-office figures in Indian cinema can vary between tracking services and producer announcements.
Irumudi Arrives on Netflix
The theatrical success has now moved into the streaming phase.
Netflix began streaming Irumudi on September 18, 2026, in Telugu as well as Hindi, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam.
The streaming platform officially confirmed the September 18 date ahead of its digital premiere.
The OTT release gives the film a wider audience after its strong theatrical performance and adds another major Telugu title to September’s streaming calendar.
Rashmika Mandanna Confirmed for MS Subbulakshmi Biopic
Another significant casting announcement came on September 15.
Rashmika Mandanna has officially been cast as legendary Carnatic vocalist MS Subbulakshmi in an upcoming biographical film.
The project will be directed by Gowtam Tinnanuri, while Allu Aravind, Rockline Venkatesh and Bunny Vas are among the producers.
Anirudh Ravichander is attached as music composer.
The announcement attracted considerable attention because of the cultural significance of portraying the Bharat Ratna recipient on screen.
Ramya Krishnan’s ‘David Reddy’ Look Unveiled
The makers of David Reddy, starring Manchu Manoj, recently unveiled Ramya Krishnan’s first look as Kamala Reddy.
The poster was released around Ramya Krishnan’s birthday and presents her in a prominent role in the pre-Independence-era action drama.
Directed by debutant Hanuma Reddy Yakkanti, the film also stars Maria Ryaboshapka and is being made in Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam and Kannada.
The project remains under production.
Upendra Joins ‘Zombie Reddy 2 NXT LVL’
Another fresh promotional reveal came on September 18 when the makers unveiled Upendra’s first look from Zombie Reddy 2 NXT LVL.
The sequel brings back Teja Sajja, while Prasanth Varma is associated with the continuation of the franchise.
Shanaya Kapoor is also part of the project and is making her Telugu cinema debut.
The birthday poster featuring Upendra added to the promotional momentum surrounding the sequel.
Nani’s ‘The Paradise’ Enters Final Promotional Phase
Nani’s upcoming film The Paradise, directed by Srikanth Odela, is also approaching its theatrical release.
A new promotional poster featuring Nani, Srikanth Odela and composer Anirudh Ravichander was released on September 18 as the campaign entered its final stage.
The movie is scheduled to open theatrically on September 24, 2026.
The film reunites Nani with Srikanth Odela after Dasara and remains one of the major immediate releases on the Telugu calendar.
Tollywood Enters a Busy Final Stretch of 2026
Together, these updates show a Telugu film industry moving through several very different storylines at once.
Ram Charan and Upasana’s twins marked a major personal milestone for one of cinema’s best-known families.
Mahesh Babu and SS Rajamouli continue building anticipation for Varanasi, with the April 2027 release already locked.
Allu Arjun remains connected to ongoing judicial proceedings in the Sandhya Theatre case, requiring careful and neutral reporting.
Ravi Teja, meanwhile, is enjoying one of his most significant recent successes with Irumudi, which has now expanded from theatres to Netflix.
At the same time, projects involving Rashmika Mandanna, Ramya Krishnan, Upendra, Nani and several other actors are keeping the Telugu industry’s announcement and promotional calendar active.
With major theatrical releases, new casting announcements, first-look posters and OTT premieres arriving almost every week, the final months of 2026 are shaping up to remain busy for Tollywood.
Bottom Line
Tollywood has seen a series of major developments through 2026, ranging from personal milestones to film promotions, legal proceedings and box-office successes.
Ram Charan and Upasana Konidela welcomed twins in January. Mahesh Babu’s new Rudhra images from Varanasi were released on his birthday, with the film locked for April 2027. Allu Arjun appeared virtually in the Sandhya Theatre case in June. Ravi Teja’s Irumudi has emerged as a major success and is now streaming on Netflix.
Additional updates include Rashmika Mandanna’s casting as MS Subbulakshmi, new first looks for Ramya Krishnan and Upendra, and Nani’s The Paradise heading for a September 24 release.
Key Takeaway
Ram Charan and Upasana welcome twins.
Mahesh Babu’s new Rudhra stills released; Varanasi set for April 2027.
Allu Arjun appears virtually in Sandhya Theatre case.
Ravi Teja’s Irumudi succeeds theatrically and arrives on Netflix.
The Rajatheertha Team publishes news, explainers, guides and updates across India and the world. Our coverage follows Rajatheertha's editorial, verification and corrections standards.
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