Animated or Real: Which ‘Mahavatar’ Will Excite the Audience?

The recent animated mythological feature, “Mahavatar Narasimha”, turned out to be a huge pan-India success, earning more than 200 crores at the box office. Despite facing tough competition from big films like Hari Hara Veera Mallu, Kingdom, Coolie and War 2, Mahavatar Narasimha has been running successfully in theatres over the last four weeks, cementing its dominance over others.

After the massive success of this film, director Ashwin Kumar said that the next part of the “Mahavatar” franchise, “Mahavatar Parashuram”, would go on floors in November this year. On the other side, there is a feature film titled “Mahavatar”, which is under production in Hindi cinema. Directed by Amar Kaushik, this movie features Vicky Kaushal as the lead hero. It would be interesting to see which of these two films would top the box office, especially after the massive success of Mahavatar Narasimha.

Before the release of Mahavatar Narasimha, Hombale Films announced that the franchise would consist of a total of eight parts, showcasing the stories of Lord Vishnu’s each avatar. After Mahavatar Narasimha’s massive success, expectations doubled on Mahavatar Parashuram, way before its release. It is set to hit the theatres in 2027.

On the other side, Vicky Kaushal’s Mahavatar is yet to hit the floors. It was originally slated for a Christmas 2026 release, but due to Vicky Kaushal’s other commitments, it is getting delayed. The film reportedly needs Vicky Kaushal to undergo a massive physical transformation, and thus, the makers are taking time.

On the whole, two films are being made on the same Vishnu avatar at around the same time and it remains to be seen how audiences receive them.

If both films end up releasing around the same time, it would be a fascinating clash at the box office. While the animated version already proved that strong storytelling can overpower star power, it remains to be seen whether the original feature film can outshine it.