Jailer 2 and Ranabaali lead a four-film Dasara race at the Telugu box office

Rajinikanth's Jailer 2 and Vijay Deverakonda's Ranabaali are heading for a Dasara clash at the Telugu box office, and two smaller films led by heroines are joining the festive rush.

Jailer 2, directed by Nelson Dilipkumar, is the sequel to the hit Jailer. Reports say it reaches theatres first on October 15, a day ahead of Ranabaali.

Anupama Parameswaran fronts Crazy Kalyanam, while Anandhi plays the lead in Garividi Lakshmi. Both land in the same holiday window, though most of the buzz sits with the two big releases.

The Telugu trade has long counted Dasara, along with Sankranti, among the most profitable stretches of the year, when audiences spend more freely on a night out at the movies.

One contender has dropped out. The Trivikram Srinivas and Venkatesh film Aadarsha Kutumbam (AK 47) was first set for October 2 and later shifted to October 9. Its makers have now postponed it again, citing a delay in post-production work.