Will Mango Pachcha’s postponement turn out to be a costly mistake?

The promise of a Kannada film for Sankranti seemed quite exciting for audiences, especially since it would have introduced a new hero to Sandalwood – Kiccha Sudeep’s nephew Sanchith Sanjeev. A period film set in the early 2000s in Mysuru, Mango Pachcha’s teaser and first single had been received warmly. But with 3 big films from Tamil and Telugu listed for release only a week earlier between January 9 and 10, a January 15 outing seemed less than ideal and the team decided to opt out of this race.

The reason cited was that post-production was not complete, but industry insiders claim that it was more to do with Mango Pachcha not getting enough screens on the 15th, what with KVN Productions and Hombale Films hogging the lion’s share for the films they were distributing – Jana Nayagan and The Raja Saab. But then Jana Nayagan did not make it to theatres owing to censor issues and Prabhas The Raja Saab opened to disastrous reviews, leaving Sivakartikeyan’s Parasakthi as the only player left in the field. Had Mango Pachcha stuck to its original plan and opened to even moderately good reviews, it would have picked up nicely in the days thereafter, reckon sources.

Also read: Kiccha Jr Sanchith’s debut feature Mango Pachcha to skip the Sankranti race? Here’s what we know 

According to Karthik Gowda from KRG Studios, which is producing Mango Pachcha along with Priya Sudeep’s Supriyanvi Films, they were looking at the third or fourth weekend of February to release it. Now that Jana Nayagan is in all likelihood getting a February outing, did the makers of Mango Pachcha jump the gun in pushing its release ahead? If it misses the February window, the film will have to be pushed to the second half of the year, what with the IPL and exam season between March and May not conducive for movie releases.

Also read: Exclusive! Sanchith Sanjeev: Yes, I should have proved my worth for the Kichcha Jr title, but I understand the emotion behind it 

Directed by debutant Viveka, Mango Pachcha also stars Mayur Patel and Kajal Kunder, among others, and features music by Charanraj. Sanchith plays the title character, a DVD store owner, who goes on to rise in the underworld of Mysuru.

Mango Pachcha FAQs

Q. Who is Sanchith Sanjeev?

A. Sanchith Sanjeev is an aspiring filmmaker and actor. He made his directorial debut as co-director on the film Ambi Ning Vayassayatho, starring the late Rebel Star, Ambareesh. Sanchith will make his acting debut with the upcoming Kannada crime drama, Mango Pachcha.

Q. Is Sanchith Sanjeev related to Kiccha Sudeep?

A. Yes, Sanchith and Sudeep are related. Sudeep is Sanchith's maternal uncle, i.e., the Kannada superstar is Sanchith's mother's brother. The young actor has been bestowed with the title Jr Kichcha on this account.

Q. When will Mango Pachcha release?

A. Mango Pachcha was meant to be a Sankranti 2026 release and hit theatres on January 15, 2026, but it is being postponed owing to delays in post-production. It is expected to release in late February, with a new date to be announced shortly.