Telugu star Nani has spoken out about his upcoming film The Paradise receiving an A certificate from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). The actor addressed the media in Mumbai on Tuesday, September 23, 2026, just a day before the film’s worldwide theatrical release. Nani explained that while the film does contain a lot of violence, it is not there just to shock viewers.
The A certificate means only adults above 18 can watch the film in theatres. Nani acknowledged that this will keep younger audiences away, but he believes the story offers much more than its intense action. The film is set to release in cinemas on September 24, 2026, with paid premiere shows on September 23.
Why the film got an A certificate
The CBFC gave The Paradise an A rating due to its raw action and bloodshed. Reports say the censor board suggested 21 changes to the film, including muting objectionable dialogues, editing abusive words, and modifying certain scenes. Some visuals, such as a crow on the National Flag and a pregnant woman in the opening, were also asked to be changed.
Nani said the team expected this rating from the start. “We were prepared while shooting itself that we would receive an adult rating,” he told reporters. He also shared a post on social media after the censor formalities: “Guidelines say A But the content says Universal Ready”.
Nani explains the violence in The Paradise
At the Mumbai press meet, Nani made it clear that the violence in The Paradise serves the story. “I understand where it is coming from; there’s a lot of violence. For example, there are films which are solely focused on violence, like violence for the sake of violence. But The Paradise is not like that,” he said.
He described the film as a solid drama packed with emotion and love. “Everybody will relate to it, whatever the age group, but children can’t watch it because there’s violence. However, everything that happens in the film is what we see and relate. There’s drama, emotion, and love, but the violence portion is a little higher,” Nani added.
The actor also said families can still watch the film together. “Even families can come and watch it. You can go with your parents and watch it. You’ll enjoy it completely. But children can’t view the film because there’s a lot of violence,” he stated.
What The Paradise is about
The Paradise is a period action drama set in the slums of 1980s Secunderabad. The story follows a marginalised tribe that faces social discrimination and is denied basic rights. Nani plays Jadal, a fierce man who challenges this systemic oppression. The official synopsis says the film is about a community fighting for citizenship and dignity under an unexpected leader’s guidance.
The film reunites Nani with director Srikanth Odela after their 2023 hit Dasara. The cast includes Kayadu Lohar as the female lead, Mohan Babu as Shikanja Maalik, Raghav Juyal as Vikram Maalik, and Sonali Kulkarni. Keerthy Suresh makes a special appearance in a song. The music is composed by Anirudh Ravichander, and the film is produced by Sudhakar Cherukuri under SLV Cinemas.
Release details and global plans
The Paradise will release in theatres worldwide on September 24, 2026, in multiple languages including Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, English, Spanish, and Bengali. The film has a runtime of 2 hours and 54 minutes. It is reportedly the most expensive film of Nani’s career.
Advance bookings have been strong. According to Sacnilk tracking from September 23, the film recorded Rs 37.43 crore in India gross advance bookings across six days. Day 1 alone accounted for Rs 18.16 crore, with 8.50 lakh tickets sold across 6,849 shows. Telangana led the demand with Rs 9.14 crore in Day 1 advance gross, followed by Andhra Pradesh at Rs 5.63 crore and Karnataka at Rs 2.01 crore. In North America, premiere advance sales reportedly crossed $650,000.
The makers decided not to release a theatrical trailer for the film. Nani explained that the team was still completing post-production work, and pulling key crew members away for a trailer would slow things down. “The movie is more important,” he said.
Streaming details
Netflix has acquired the digital streaming rights for The Paradise. Reports say the platform paid around Rs 60 to 65 crore for the rights. The film will stream on Netflix in multiple languages after its theatrical run. An official OTT release date has not been announced yet.
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Censor board cuts and runtime
The CBFC asked for several modifications before granting the A certificate. The board muted a foul word in most scenes but allowed it in one place. A character’s tattoo with a foul word was covered with CGI. The term “denotified tribe” was also asked to be changed. Despite the cuts, the final runtime remains 174 minutes, which is just under three hours.
Early reactions from within the industry have been positive. Reports highlight the pre-interval block, the climax, and a massive jail fight as the film’s standout moments. Nani’s performance is said to be a major highlight, with some trade analysts calling it a potential career-best opening for the actor.
The Paradise is Nani’s second collaboration with Srikanth Odela. Their first film, Dasara, was a commercial success in 2023. With The Paradise, the actor aims to bring back the emotional intensity he associated with commercial films while growing up.
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