Pawan Kalyan’s much-anticipated period action drama Hari Hara Veera Mallu opened to mixed to negative reviews, but the box office numbers tell a slightly different story for Day 1.
Despite the critical reception, the film managed to post a solid opening day, thanks in part to strong premiere numbers. In the Telugu states, the film earned a share of approximately ₹35 crore, and when including GST, the total reaches close to ₹40 crore. However, the overseas performance was underwhelming, bringing in only around ₹10 crore.
Worldwide, Hari Hara Veera Mallu posted a first-day share of ₹47 crore, with the gross collections nearing ₹70 crore. Considering that the film’s theatrical rights are valued at around ₹120 crore, the makers have already recovered more than one-third of the investment on Day 1 itself — a promising start in that context.
That said, the film now faces the critical weekend test. Sustained performance over the next few days will be crucial, especially since the producers are targeting at least ₹150 crore in theatrical share to break even, due to the film’s hefty production budget.
From the distributors’ and exhibitors’ standpoint, the opening is encouraging. But for the producers, it’s only an average beginning, primarily because of the high expectations and soaring costs. Another concern is the film’s weak performance in non-Telugu markets, which could impact its overall long-term run.
With all eyes on the weekend trend, it remains to be seen whether Hari Hara Veera Mallu can defy the odds and turn its box office journey into a success story.
