New Delhi, Dec. 4 -- Tollywood actor Nandamuri Balakrishna is back on the promotion trail this week, pushing his new release Akhanda 2. The film arrives in theatres on 5 December, and the veteran star has been making the case that the project carries a purpose beyond being a 2021 sequel.

Speaking at an event in Chennai on Wednesday, Balakrishna said the team approached the film with the idea of presenting traditional values and cultural roots to younger viewers. He told the crowd that the story leans heavily on Sanatana Dharma and that the film should be read as a standalone creation rather than a routine follow-up to the earlier hit.

"This is not a sequel, this is a creation that talks about Hindu dharma and culture," he said, adding t...