Epic Gets ‘A’ Certificate: Can Anand Deverakonda and Vaishnavi Chaitanya Overcome the Box-Office Challenge?
Anand Deverakonda and Vaishnavi Chaitanya are back as a pair in Epic – First Semester, and naturally everyone is expecting big things after their last outing, Baby. But the Telugu romantic entertainer has another USP before its release: the censor board has given it an A certificate.
This has led to discussions on whether the movie can reach out to the broad youth audience it appears to be targeting. Epic – First Semester will release in theatres worldwide on September 11, 2026, and Aditya Hasan (who made headlines with web series 90s – A Middle Class Biopic) is making his theatrical directorial debut after winning hearts with the film.
Anand Deverakonda and Vaishnavi Reunite After Baby
The biggest advantage for Epic is the reunion of Anand Deverakonda and Vaishnavi Chaitanya.
Their 2023 film Baby was a big hit and helped catapult both performers' careers. Emotional intensity, youth themes, and bold treatment resonated with the target audience of the film.
Of course, the reunion has created curiosity around Epic. But this new film seems to be about a different phase of relationships and growing up — characters are having to deal with higher education, relationships, identity, and family expectations while living abroad.
This gives the film an opportunity to find its own identity rather than just relying on the Baby combination.
Why the A Certificate Has Become a Talking Point
The A certificate means Epic is only for adults in theatres. For a film billed as a young romantic entertainer, that could reduce the immediate audience base.
The certification doesn’t automatically determine a film’s box office, but it can affect how far the movie gets to younger viewers and families. It will be a lot of content, word of mouth, and how strongly the film’s intended adult audience responds that will drive things.
Interestingly, Baby itself had mature and intimate themes but got a U/A certificate and became a huge commercial success.
With Epic, the same lead pair now has a different certification situation.
Aditya Hasan Faces a Major Test
The A certificate also brings Aditya Hasan, the director, into focus.
After the success of 90s – A Middle Class Biopic, expectations were high for his move to the big screen. Epic is his theatrical directorial debut, and he has chosen a story involving romance, youth, identity, and emotional relationships.
Interestingly, Hasan has also said that there will be a sequel called Final Semester, and the second part will continue after the first one. So the performance of the first film is very important for the future of the franchise.
Can Epic Repeat the Arjun Reddy Formula?
The A-certificate debate always brings back memories of films like Arjun Reddy (which also had an A certificate) but which became a major career-defining success for Vijay Deverakonda and director Sandeep Reddy Vanga.
But Epic shouldn’t be compared with Arjun Reddy necessarily. The two films have different stories, filmmaking styles and market conditions.
The real question is whether Anand Deverakonda and Vaishnavi Chaitanya can once again connect with audiences on an emotional level.
Will Epic Pass the Box-Office Test?
The A certificate may be an initial hurdle, but it could also pique the interest of adult audiences who want more mature romantic drama.
The film already has several advantages: a successful lead pairing, a director with a popular web-series background, production backing and pre-release attention.
Vaishnavi Chaitanya has also said recently that families can watch the film and her character Kadali is someone who faces personal problems and learns to believe in herself.
Ultimately, it is audience response that will determine whether the A certificate becomes a limitation or just another talking point around the movie.
With Epic – First Semester arriving on September 11, the biggest question is now who can Anand Deverakonda and Vaishnavi Chaitanya recreate Baby magic and make Epic another youth-driven success despite it having an A certificate?
The answer will only be known once audiences see the film on the big screen.
Latest Movies Trailer
Comments
Please to leave a comment on this article.