January 2026 brings major Tamil and Telugu releases during Pongal and Sankranti, including films by Vijay, Prabhas, Chiranjeevi and Sivakarthikeyan.
January 2026 is set to be exciting for cinema lovers, with several films scheduled for release. Filmmakers and actors often choose holiday or festival dates to release their movies, as these time usually attract larger crowds.
The first month of 2026 brings an exciting lineup, including Thalapathy Vijay’s Jana Nayagan, Prabhas’s The Raja Saab, and Chiranjeevi’s Mana Shankara Varaprasad Garu hitting theatres. Let’s take a look at the films releasing during Pongal and Sankranti 2026.
Films releasing on Pongal and Sankranti 2026
1. Jana Nayagan
Release date – January 9 , 2026
Thalapathy Vijay’s Tamil film Jana Nayagan is one of the most aniticipated films of 2026. Directed by H Vinoth, the film will be released on January 9, 2026 and also marks the last film of actor-turned-politician Vijay, before entering into politics. The film also stars Pooja Hegde and Bobby Deol in key roles.
2. The Raja Saab
Release date – January 9 , 2026
The Raja Saab is an upcoming horror comedy film which features Prabhas, Sanjay Dutt, Boman Irani, Malavika Mohanan, Nidhhi Agerwal, Riddhi Kumar, Zarina Wahab and others in the lead roles. It is written and directed by Maruthi Dasari. The movie will see the clash with Vijay’s Jana Nayagan on January 9, 2026.
3. Mana Shankara Varaprasad Garu
Release date – January 12, 2026
The Telugu movie, Mana Shankara Varaprasad Garu, starring megastar Chiranjeevi and Nayanthara is going to be released on January 12, 2026. Directed by Anil Ravipudi, the film is produced by Sahu Garapati and Sushmita Konidela under the banners of Shine Screens and Gold Box Entertainments.
4. Bhartha Mahasayulaku Wignyapthi
Release date – January 13
Ravi Teja’s film Bhartha Mahasayulaku Wignyapthi is written and directed by Thirumala Kishore. The music for the film is composed by Bheems Ceciroleo. The plot of this movie revolves around Ram whose wine gets rejected, which leads him to Spain, where he meets Manasa and finds himself in a series of complications.
5. Anangana Oka Raju
Release date – January 14
The Telugu film, Anaganaga Oka Raju, starring Naveen Polishetty and Meenaakshi Chaudhary will also released on January 14, 2026, clashing with Sivakarthikeyan’s Parasakthi. This movie is produced by Suryadevara Naga Vamsi and Sai Soujanya under Sithara Entertainments and Fortune Four Cinemas.
6. Parasakthi
Release date – January 14
The movie Parasakthi starring Sivakarthikeyan, Atharvaa Murali and Sreeleela is directed by Sudha Kongara. According to details available on IMDb, it focuses on the Anti-Hindi agitations in Tamil Nadu that happened in 1965.
Fo the unversed, this Tamil-language movie will be released on January 14, 2026.
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