Dulquer Salmaan’s latest film, Lucky Baskhar, directed by Venky Atluri, has emerged as a Diwali blockbuster, showcasing an impressive comeback after the underwhelming performance of King of Kotha. Opening on October 31 with stellar reviews from paid premieres, Lucky Baskhar quickly gained traction, earning ₹6.5 crore on both Day 1 and Day 2. By Day 3, the film amassed ₹7.5 crore, leading to a strong ₹8 crore collection on Sunday, bringing its domestic box office total to ₹29.4 crore and its global earnings to ₹39.9 crore. This robust performance has propelled Lucky Baskhar past the ₹50 crore mark worldwide, surpassing the opening collection of Dulquer’s previous Telugu hit, Sita Ramam, which earned ₹27.05 crore in its first week.
The real test for Lucky Baskhar will be its performance on its first Monday, a crucial benchmark for any major release. Early indicators show Dulquer’s box office pull remains strong in the South, with the Tamil and Malayalam versions contributing a notable 35% to the total earnings. Extensive promotions across Tamil Nadu and Kerala and high occupancy rates—51.67% in Telugu, 78.48% in Tamil, and 63.17% in Malayalam—have fueled the film’s success.
Despite competition from major Tamil releases like Amaran (starring Sivakarthikeyan), Brother (starring Jayam Ravi), and Bloody Beggar (starring Kavin), Lucky Baskhar has drawn audiences, especially in regions where the film saw limited releases. Following Lucky Baskhar, Dulquer is set to return to Telugu cinema with Aakasam lo oka Tara, speculated to reunite him with Kali co-star Sai Pallavi, and is also starring in Kaantha, a period drama set in 1950s Tamil Nadu.
