“Fauji” was launched in August 2024, meaning the Prabhas starrer has now been in production for over two years. Ideally, the film should have reached theatres this year, and December 3, 2026, seemed like a reasonable target, especially after Mythri Movie Makers repeatedly reaffirmed the release date.
However, despite those repeated statements, the film has reportedly vacated the December 3 slot. There is no official announcement from Mythri Movie Makers yet, but strong industry buzz suggests that “Fauji” has been postponed indefinitely and is now likely to arrive in 2027.
So, what has caused the repeated delays?
Director Hanu Raghavapudi is known for his meticulous approach to filmmaking. He has always placed considerable emphasis on elaborate staging, rich visuals and detailed production design, right from his debut film “Andala Rakshasi.” With “Fauji” being his first pan-Indian big-budget film and a project starring a major star like Prabhas, his ambition to make the film on a larger scale appears to have contributed to the extended schedule.
At the same time, handling a film of this scale is a different challenge, and Hanu’s experience with such a massive production is relatively limited. The shooting schedules have consequently gone through several changes, and a substantial portion of the film is still reportedly pending.
With so much shooting left, completing the production and post-production work in time for a December 3 release has become practically impossible. The makers now appear to have accepted that they cannot rush the film simply to meet a previously announced date.
There is also industry talk that the production house had committed to the December release window in view of its OTT arrangement with Netflix. However, with the theatrical production itself running behind schedule, the makers have seemingly been left with little choice but to move the film to 2027.
The bigger question now is how this postponement will affect Prabhas’ other films. His upcoming projects, including Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s “Spirit,” have release plans that could be affected by changes to “Fauji.”
For now, the December 3 date appears to be gone, with “Fauji” expected to target a 2027 release. The makers are yet to officially announce the new date.
