GUNTUR, India — Mahesh Babu’s latest film, “Guntur Kaaram,” made a record-breaking debut at the Indian box office, surpassing the superstar’s previous best opening day. On Friday, the film raked in approximately Rs. 47 crore ($6.4 million), outperforming his 2022 film “Sarkaru Vaari Paata,” which grossed Rs. 41 crore. The majority of the revenue came from the Telugu states, where it earned over Rs. 42 crore ($5.7 million), surpassing his previous highest-earning film, “Sarkaru Vaari Paata.” In Telugu states, the first-day collection of “Guntur Kaaram” ranks fourth highest of all time, trailing behind “RRR,” “Salaar,” and “Baahubali: The Conclusion.”
Notably, “Guntur Kaaram” performed exceptionally well in the major centers of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. In Hyderabad, the film collected around Rs. 14 crore ($1.9 million) on the first day, making it the third-highest in terms of opening-day revenue, following “RRR” and “Salaar,” both of which earned over Rs. 15 crore. However, the performance was relatively weaker in the Nizam region outside of Hyderabad, which prevented it from crossing the Rs. 20 crore mark.
Similarly, in Andhra Pradesh, the film achieved success in the cities of Coastal Andhra, with many centers recording collections close to the film “Salaar.” However, the Ceeded districts showed relatively lower performance.
The film’s strong start is promising, especially with the upcoming lucrative festive period. However, the mixed reception from the audience raises concerns considering the substantial distribution costs. The hope is that the film will perform well during the holidays and make up for any ground it may have lost.
Here’s a territorial breakdown of the box office collection for “Guntur Kaaram” in India: Nizam: Rs. 19 crore ($2.6 million) – Ceeded: Rs. 4.50 crore ($610,000) – Andhra: Rs. 19 crore ($2.6 million) – AP/TS: Rs. 42.50 crore ($5.8 million) – Karnataka: Rs. 3.25 crore ($440,000) – Tamil Nadu and Kerala: Rs. 50 lakh ($68,000) – North India: Rs. 75 lakh ($102,000). Overall, the film grossed Rs. 47 crore ($6.4 million) in India.
Internationally, “Guntur Kaaram” accumulated approximately USD 2.50 million, including preview showings, resulting in a worldwide first-day total of approximately Rs. 67 crore ($9.1 million).