Durga Puja Dhamaka 2025: Raktabeej 2 and Raghu Dakat Face Off

It’s that time of year again.

The streets of Kolkata will soon be glowing with fairy lights, Dhaker Awaj will echo through pandals, and while Ma Aschhe, so are two of the biggest films of the year: Raktabeej 2 and Raghu Dakat.

Sounds familiar? That’s because we’ve seen this clash before in 2023.

Durga Puja 2023, Bengali audiences were treated to a box office battle between Raktabeej and Bagha Jatin. Both movies did well. But Raktabeej, directed by the unbeatable duo Shiboprosad Mukherjee and Nandita Roy, ended up edging past Dev’s historical drama with ₹7.5 crore at the box office, compared to Bagha Jatin's ₹6.3 crore.

And now, in 2025, it feels like déjà vu with higher stakes, bigger budgets, and sky-high audience expectations.

Let’s dive into this year's Puja dhamaka.

Two Big Films. One Festival.

Durga Puja has always been a golden window for Bengali cinema. From Chokher Bali to Bela Shuru, Autograph to Parineeta, some of Tollywood’s biggest hits have dropped during this festive season.

This year, October 2, 2025, is the battlefield.

• Raktabeej 2, the much-awaited sequel to the 2023 hit, is all set to bring back the thrill of political terrorism and emotional storytelling that connected with audiences across generations.

• Raghu Dakat, on the other hand, is a grand historical action drama, featuring Dev as the legendary Robin Hood like dacoit from Bengal, directed by the stylish and capable Dhrubo Banerjee.

What makes this clash even more juicy? Both films are carrying the weight of past glory and future expectations.

Raktabeej 2: The Return of a Hit Formula

If 2023’s Raktabeej was about a ticking time bomb during a President’s visit to Burdwan, Raktabeej 2 promises to up the ante.

Shiboprosad and Nandita, known for making content that touches your heart from Praktan for adults to Haami for the kutches to Belashuru for the elderly, they have given everyone a place to relate their life to. The teaser of Raktabeej 2 reveals that this time, the hunt is for Munir Alam, a mastermind terrorist, with links possibly extending to Bangladesh.

Abir Chatterjee (as Pankaj Singha) and Mimi Chakraborty (as Sanjukta Mitra) return, along with Victor Banerjee. New entries like Ankush Hazra, Seema Biswas, and Koushani Mukherjee add freshness and intensity to the story.

The directors have already hinted that Raktabeej 2 is bigger in every way - scale, action, drama, and locations.

With a strong track record and a loyal urban and family audience base, this film is already trending high on the Puja must-watch list.

Raghu Dakat: Dev Goes Epic (Again)

If Bagha Jatin was Dev’s tribute to freedom fighters, Raghu Dakat is his salute to rebellion with style.

Directed by Dhrubo Banerjee, known for hits like Durgeshgorer Guptodhon and Golondaaj, this film is a massive period piece set in 18th-century Bengal. It’s got everything from British colonial cruelty, folklore, fantasy, to a man who stands up for the oppressed. And it’s clear that Dev is going all in.

He spent over 10 months preparing and filming, built massive 100-foot sets, shaved off his beard at the wrap (literally marking the end of a transformation), and even hinted in interviews that this is his biggest film till date.

Joining him are Sohini Sarkar, Anirban Bhattacharya, Idhika Paul, and Roopa Ganguly, making it an all-star lineup.

The pre-teaser gave us a glimpse of Dev in full warrior mode, and the buzz hasn’t stopped since.

The 2023 Box Office Lessons

Let’s rewind a bit. In 2023, Raktabeej surprised many with its emotional depth and local connect. Made on a ₹4.5 crore budget, it earned ₹7.5 crore which is a clean hit.

Bagha Jatin, despite its scale and patriotic tone, collected ₹6.3 crore on a ₹5 crore budget. Respectable, but slightly behind.

This time, both sides have learned from the past.

Team Raktabeej is coming back with a sequel that audiences already trust. Emotional storytelling with current-day relevance. It worked once. Will it work again?

Team Dev, on the other hand, is going for mass appeal. Action, scale, mythology, historical flavor. Add Dev’s superstar pull, and it might just take off even bigger than before.

So, Who's at an Advantage?

Hard to say. And that’s what makes this face-off exciting.

Raktabeej 2 may win over the multiplex crowd and families looking for a sharp, relevant thriller. Shiboprosad-Nandita’s loyal fanbase cuts across ages, from students to grandparents. It can bring tension to the heart.

Raghu Dakat, however, could attract the single-screen crowd, Dev’s fan base, and those craving visual spectacle. Period dramas, when done well, have wide appeal.

Afterall, this isn’t a rivalry. It’s a celebration of Bengalis’ most glorifying festival.

As Bengalis, we’ve always had room in our hearts for both Satyajit Ray and Uttam Kumar, both art-house and commercial, both Ilish and Chingri.

This Puja, we may just buy tickets for both.

Final Thoughts

The real Bijoya? It’s ours.

In an industry that often struggles with budgets, reach, and competition from OTT, two big-budget Bengali films clashing head-on is a sign of bold ambition and creative energy.

Whether it’s Raktabeej 2 with its gritty thrills or Raghu Dakat with its rebellious fire, the Bengali audience is in for a treat. As Uttam Kumar once said in Nayak, “Ei chhobi ta jodi bhalo hoy, tahole lok nishchoy dekhbe.” (If the film is good, people will watch it.)

Let the Dhaak play. Let the screens light up. And let’s get ready for the biggest Puja box office celebration in years.

Which one are you planning to watch first? Raktabeej 2 or Raghu Dakat? Tell us in the comments. Let’s talk cinema!