[Updated: November 21, 2022] The Pongal and Makar Sankranti holiday in January 2023 is gearing up to be crowded with movie releases, for atleast four biggies, along with a bunch of other films have confirmed their release during the said festive season. A quick list of the films that are expected to hit theater screens during the January second weekend of next year:

1. Adipurush [Hindi/Telugu] - Release date postponed to June 16, 2023

Prabhas is the lead face in this motion capture/3D film based on the Hindu mythology Ramayana. Director Om Raut of Tanhaji fame has helmed Adipurush and the movie set 7000 years ago follows the story of Ayodhya's King Raghava and his journey to the island of Lanka, after his wife Sita (Kriti Sanon) gets abducted by the island's king Lankesh (Saif Ali Khan). 

Adipurush is produced by T Series Films and Retrophiles on a whopping budget of Rs. 500 Cr, with the visual effects alone costing Rs. 250 Cr+. The film is releasing on January 12, 2023 in dubbed versions of Tamil, Malayalam and Kannada as well. 

2. Varisu/Vaarasudu [Tamil/Telugu] - January 12, 2023 [Official confirmation pending]

Largo Winch is a famous Belgian book series from the 1970s and this story follows a protagonist who is a secret heir to a business empire and returns to save it from the wrong hands. Varisu (Tamil)/ Vaarasudu (Telugu) is supposedly an official adaptation of this story and stars actor Vijay in the lead. 

The movie has screenplay by Vamshi Paidipally, Hari and Ashishor Solomon, with Tamil lyricist Vivek credited for additional screenplay and dialogues. Varisu is directed by Vamshi Paidipally, produced by Dil Raju of Sri Venkateswara Creations. The movie also stars Rashmika Mandanna and has Thaman for music.

3. Waltair Veerayya [Telugu] - January 13, 2023 [Official confirmation pending]

A mass masala entertainer, Waltair Veerayya is actor Chiranjeevi's 154th film and it has been directed by K. S. Ravindra aka Bobby Kolli. While Shruthi Haasan plays female lead, actor Ravi Teja plays an IPS officer named Vizag Rangaraju in this action drama.

Waltair Veerayya has screenplay by Kona Venkat and K Chakravarthy Reddy, story and dialogues by Bobby Kolli and other writing by Hari Mohana Krishna and Vineeth Potluri. The movie is produced by Mythiri Movie Makers and has Devi Sri Prasad for music. 

4. Thunivu [Tamil] - January 12, 2023 [Official confirmation pending]

The only movie on this list, whose Pongal release has not been officially announced (yet highly buzzed), Thunivu is actor Ajith's third movie with director H. Vinoth. The film is touted to be a bank heist thriller with Ajith playing a villainous hero, and also stars Manju Warrier as the female lead.  

Boney Kapoor's Bay View Porjects and Zee Studios have produced Thunivu and it has music by Ghibran. The film comes with the tagline 'No Guts No Glory' and Udhayanidhi Stalin's Red Giant Movies is expected to be distributing the film in Tamil Nadu. 

5. Veera Simha Reddy [Telugu] - January 12, 2023 [Official confirmation pending]

A Sankranti release of Veera Simha Reddy would mean a double festival release for Mythri Movie Makers (also producers of Waltair Veerayya), Shruthi Haasan (also female lead of Waltair Veerayya) and SS Thaman (also music composer of Varisu/Vaarasudu).  

The movie is actor Nandamuri Balakrishna's 107th film and it is written and directed by Gopichand Malineni. Sai Mahav Burra has penned the dialogues, and reports are rampant that Balayya will be seen in dual roles with Varalaxmi Sarathkumar  playing the sister of one of his characters.  

6. Agent [Telugu] - Not Releasing for Sankranti 2023

A spy action thriller starring Akhil Akkineni in the lead, Agent is written and directed by Surender Reddy and also stars Mammootty in a pivotal role. The movie has Hiphop Tamizha for music and is going against other Telugu biggies at the Sankrati box-office.