4 min readHyderabadJun 29, 2026 04:23 PM IST
The makers of ENE Repeat, the sequel to the cult Telugu favourite Ee Nagaraniki Emaindi, have confirmed the film’s release date as November 19, 2026, timing the announcement to coincide with the original’s eighth anniversary. The release date was shared through a nostalgic video built around the film’s well known Friendship Anthem, reviving memories of its fan favourite Kanyarasi gang.
Ee Nagaraniki Emaindi, written and directed by Tharun Bhascker, released on June 29, 2018, and followed Karthik, a club manager in Hyderabad who is about to marry his boss’ daughter and move to the US, before a chaotic turn of events upends those plans. The film performed modestly on its initial release, but it steadily built a cult following over the years for its relatable characters and naturalistic, slice of life humour.
That cult status was confirmed commercially in 2023, when the film was re-released in over 200 theatres for its fifth anniversary and went on to collect Rs 3.3 crore in its first weekend alone, far outperforming expectations for a five year old film and helping set off a trend of nostalgia driven re-releases in Telugu cinema.
The sequel was first announced in 2025, marking the original’s seventh anniversary, with a title reveal poster built around a mid-air, bursting suitcase spilling out clothes, beer bottles and a flight ticket, hinting at the story moving beyond Hyderabad. According to the makers, ENE Repeat shifts focus to the US, where Karthik’s long pending dream of moving abroad finally takes centre stage.
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Tharun Bhascker returns to direct, with Vishwak Sen, Abhinav Gomatam and Venkatesh Kakumanu reprising their roles from the original, while Srinath Maganti joins the cast as a replacement for Sai Sushanth Reddy.
Change in original cast
The news of the replacement fizzled down the excitement around the project during its announcement, with many questioning if the magic of the movie will still stay intact. Tharun Bhascker addressed the reason behind that exit at a student led event called Honest Townhall, hosted by Student Tribe. He explained that Sai Sushanth Reddy’s involvement was never fully locked in even at the time of the initial announcement, and that the actual call from Sushanth, when it came, was difficult to hear.
“When Sushi called, and he said this, I just broke. First, I got angry. The reason is that he moved on towards his father’s business. He told me he doesn’t want one foot here and one there. And I respect that. But it came with a lot of anger and disappointment. I realised that each person has their own journey and it’s not my call to take. I gave him the opportunity, and he respectfully rejected it,” Tharun explained.
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Tharun Bhascker, for his part, seems unconcerned about the comparison. What matters to him isn’t replicating what Sushanth brought to the screen, it’s preserving the character he played. “I had a story to tell, and I am not going to stop. For me, Sushi might change, but Karthik is the same. And, when I’m watching the footage right now, I see Karthik. And that’s the magic of cinema. If I’m telling you that you’ll only see Karthik, I think I’ll succeed in doing that. I won’t let you guys down,” he said.
ENE Repeat is being produced by Srujan Yarabolu and Sandeep Nagireddy under the S Originals and Rootnode Cinema banners, a shift from Suresh Productions, which backed the original.
A still from ENE Repeat, which is set for release on November 19 this year.