BY SACNILK

Mumbai, September 9 - The Indian box office is bracing for a storm in the coming weekend in the form of a Japanese animation film Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle, which is seeing a historic response in the advance booking in the country, ahead of its September 12 release. Directed by Haruo Sotozaki, Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle has already sold over 1 lakh tickets for its opening day, while overall weekend sales are over 2,50,000, across the three leading national cinema chains — PVR, INOX, and Cinepolis — a staggering feat for an animated title. The film has reportedly sold tickets worth over 15 crores gross for the opening weekend, already becoming the biggest non-Hollywood foreign animation or live-action film in India. It has beaten the collection of Suzume and Jujutsu Kaisen 0 with the advance sales only. The animation has seen an unexpected rise at the Indian box office this year. After the homemade Mahavatar Narsimha, which is the biggest Indian animated grosser worldwide as well as at the Indian box office, Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle is set to take things a notch higher, as far as the opening weekend is concerned. There are still two days left before the first show begins, and no one can tell where this Infinity Castle advance booking storm is heading. It is basically unlocking the true potential for the animation market in India. It is learned that the sales are also strong for the weekdays, which points to the unbelievable craze for the movie in the country. Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

Mumbai, September 5 – National award-winning filmmaker Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri's much-talked-about reality-based political thriller film The Bengal Files, the final chapter in his popular Files Trilogy hits the big screen today, September 5, amid decent expectations. Based on a storyline focused on the 1946 Great Calcutta Killings and the Noakhali riots, depicting the violence and its aftermath as a genocide, The Bengal Files sees a low, but better than expected response in the pre-sales. The film managed to outshine the opening day sales of Agnihotri's The Kashmir Files, which went on to become a huge box office blockbuster. According to the tracked gross, the latest chapter in the filmmaker's controvercial trilogy, has managed to register 1.22 crore in Day 1 bookings (including block seats), thereby surpassing the advance sales of The Kashmir Files, which had clocked 1.13 crore gross back in 2022. This marks an interesting turnaround for Agnihotri, as expectations have been cautious given the sensitive subject and competition at the box office. With controversy around its release adding to the buzz, The Bengal Files has managed to decent advance traction, positioning itself for a better than expected opening day. Released in March 2022, The Kashmir Files was a surprise blockbuster that stunned the industry by recording the opening of over 3.50 crores net (4+ crores gross), followed by phenomenal word-of-mouth, eventually grossing over 300 crore worldwide. It set a high bar for The Bengal Files. Industry trackers note that while The Bengal Files has shown stronger pre-sales than TKF, the ultimate test will lie in audience word-of-mouth once the film hits theatres. If it follows a trajectory even close to The Kashmir Files, the film could emerge as another major success story. Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

Mumbai, September 4 - Bollywood action star Tiger Shroff is looking to make a strong comeback at the box office with his upcoming action thriller Baaghi 4 after a series of flops in the post-pandemic world. The early signs of the smashing comeback are looking promising, considering the pre-sales. Directed by A Harsha, Baaghi 4 is surprisingly having a better-than-expected response in the opening day pre-sales and has already raked in around 5 crores gross (without block seats) and when including blocked seats, the number shoots past 7.75 crores, with the final hour left before the release. As the trend indicated, the film has the best advance booking for a Tiger Shroff-starrer in recent times, even better than Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, which also had Akshay Kumar. Opening Day Advance Booking Comparison with Other Tiger Shroff Films - - Bade Miyan Chote Miyan (2024) – It had low bookings considering the star power at 4.81 crores (without block seats), over 7 crores (with block seats) for the first day. - Ganapath (2023) – Registered poor advance bookings, failing to cross even the 3 crore (with block seats) mark for the opening day. - Heropanti 2 (2022) – Also suffered from weak pre-sales, but ended up better than Ganapath with around 5 crores (with block seats) for day 1. With these numbers, Baaghi 4 is on track to surpass Tiger’s recent outings and could emerge as his best opener since the pandemic if spot bookings also trend strongly. The Baaghi franchise has been known for delivering high-octane action and has a strong brand recall among audiences, which is clearly reflected in its advance sales. If momentum continues, Tiger Shroff might finally score the much-needed box office comeback with Baaghi 4, after a string of underperforming releases. The movie, also starring Sanjay Dutt, Sonam Bajwa, Harnaaz Sandhu, and Shreyas Talpade, is scheduled to release on September 5. Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

Los Angeles, September 3 - Power Star Pawan Kalyan's highly-awaited gangster action thriller They Call Him OG is creating havoc at the North American box office even before its theatrical debut. There are still 3 weeks to go before the release of the film, and it has already achieved a remarkable milestone in the North American market. Directed by Sujeeth, OG has crossed $1 million pre-sales gross collection for the North America premiere, which is on September 24, and what makes this feat even more special is that it has become the fastest Telugu film to breach the $1 million mark, according to the official update by the makers. This underscores the massive anticipation surrounding the film. With still three weeks to go before release, trade experts are confident that the film will scale much bigger numbers in the coming days, setting the stage for one of the biggest premiere days for an Indian title in North America. The unprecedented craze can be attributed to Pawan Kalyan's unmatched fan following overseas, coupled with the film’s high-octane teasers and aggressive promotional campaign. The movie is being released by Prathyangira Cinemas in North America, and it has sold over 32,000 tickets as the distributors are witnessing strong demand across multiple locations, ensuring packed houses for premiere shows. OG is touted as a stylish gangster action drama with a global backdrop. The film is backed by DVV Entertainment, the banner behind RRR, further adding weight to its box office expectations. With pre-sales momentum this strong, the industry and trade are buzzing with confidence that OG could be a big blockbuster in NA. Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

Mumbai, September 1 – The wait is almost over for Tiger Shroff fans as the advance booking of his much-awaited action thriller Baaghi 4 is set to open on September 2, just three days before the film's release on September 5. The makers officially confirmed the development. Directed by A Harsha, Baaghi 4 has managed to generate good buzz with its teaser (August 11) and trailer (August 30), both of which showcased Tiger Shroff in a darker, deadlier avatar with high-octane action sequences that have become the hallmark of the Baaghi franchise. With strong fan anticipation, trade circles expect the film to do well at the ticket window. Produced by Sajid Nadiadwala under Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment, Baaghi 4 promises to be the biggest instalment in the franchise yet, with an intense storyline, gripping action set pieces, and Tiger Shroff returning in full action mode. It is the first film of the franchise to receive an A-rating from CBFC. All eyes will be on how the booking proceeds for the film, as Tiger has had a rough phase in the post-pandemic era. The momentum will be crucial as it is in the action genre, which usually does well in the pre-sales. Apart from Tiger, the movie also stars Sanjay Dutt, Sonam Bajwa, Harnaaz Sandhu, Shreyas Talpade, Saurabh Sachdeva, Sheeba Akashdeep Sabir, Upendra Limaye, and Mahesh Thakur in key roles. Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

Mumbai, August 31: Director Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri is back with the final film in his Files trilogy, The Bengal Files, which is carrying the uncanny buzz in the trade and audiences alike. Following the historic success of The Kashmir Files (2022), which emerged as one of the biggest post-pandemic blockbusters in India, expectations are sky-high for Agnihotri's latest venture. The political reality drama is scheduled to release on September 5, and the advance ticket sales for the same have begun on August 31 in key circuits. Exhibitors believe the film could build momentum over the coming days, especially with strong word-of-mouth likely to play a pivotal role — a trend similar to what fueled The Kashmir Files into a nationwide phenomenon. The industry has largely been silent on Agnihotri's last few films, and the same is the case with The Bengal Files; even the trade, as a whole, is not throwing its hat in on what could be the outcome of this movie, which is very much similar to TKF on many levels. The Kashmir Files benefitted from raw audience emotions and word-of-mouth growth, and that might be the advantage for The Bengal Files, which is, as said, similar in genre and ignites the same emotions. The film has already generated conversations online, with discussions about its sensitive subject matter and Vivek Agnihotri's storytelling approach. Can It Match The Kashmir Files? The Kashmir Files stunned the trade by grossing over 340 crores worldwide on a modest budget, becoming one of the most profitable films in Indian cinema history. The big question is whether The Bengal Files can replicate that trajectory. Well, that is a question which will be answered once the film hits the screens. However, as said, there are similarities between the two films, including the dark history, which can be a game-changer for the film. Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

Los Angeles, August 29 - After the dismal performance of Hari Hara Veera Mallu, the power star Pawan Kalyan is ready to bounce back with a bang. The Telugu superstar has begun showcasing his raw stardom with one of his most highly anticipated films in recent times, They Call Him OG, in advance bookings at the North American box office. Directed by Sujeeth, the gangster action thriller is still nearly 4 weeks away from hitting the big screens, but the pre-sales are already breathing fire as far as the North America premiere is concerned. The pre-sales of OG began on August 27 in NA, and in no time, it has crossed $500K already for the premiere, which is on September 24. During the first hour of pre-sales opening, OG saw record-breaking response, with four shows at Cinemark Dallas selling out in minutes. Seeing the response, 35 premiere shows have already been scheduled at one of the top-grossing Cinemark theatres in Dallas, by distributor Prathyangira Cinemas. The pre-sales exploded as more locations opened the booking, and as per Venky Box Office, it has crossed $500K from nearly 1125 shows over 300 locations and sold over 17,000 tickets. OG is the fastest Telugu title to achieve $500K pre-sales in North America. Prathyangira Cinemas has kept ticket prices as high as $25-$30, as fans fuel a potential blockbuster. Going by the initial trend, OG will be eyeing one of the biggest premiere days in North America for a Telugu film. Trade anticipates that the film might cross $2 million premiere gross, which will be the highest for a Pawan Kalyan-starrer. OG stars Pawan Kalyan in the title role of Ojas Gambheera alongside Emraan Hashmi as Omi Bhau (in his Telugu film debut), and Priyanka Mohan as the female lead. The film revolves around a ruthless don named Ojas Gambheera "OG" who returns to Mumbai following his ten-year disappearance, to reclaim his empire and exact vengeance on the current tyrant, Omi Bhau. It is scheduled to hit the big screen on September 25 in multiple languages. Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

Mumbai, August 27 - Sidharth Malhotra returns to the big screen with romantic comedy Param Sundari, which has Janhvi Kapoor as the female lead. Directed by Tushar Jalota, the film has managed to generate decent buzz through teaser/trailer and songs, which have gone viral. Scheduled to release on August 29, the advance booking of Param Sundari was opened on August 26, and the initial reception is decent. The movie has sold around 10K tickets so far for the opening day across the BookMyShow and District apps in the first 24 hours, and the number is expected to increase as the day progresses. Romantic comedies normally don't carry huge advances like action entertainers, as they rely on walk-ups and word of mouth. Param Sundari comes at a time when romantic films are working at the box office, and a decent response for it will put it in a good positive to build on. The trade is anticipating Param Sundari to open in the range of 10 crores net, which can go higher if the word of mouth is positive. If the film manages to open in double digits, it will be a very good start, and among the biggest openings for the lead pair. Param Sundari is produced by Maddock Films, which has been delivering quality content over the last few years and has also delivered big at the box office. It could be an advantage for the film, as it can help in the pre-sales with 2 days still to go before the release. Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

Los Angeles, August 27 - superstar Pawan Kalyan's gangster action thriller They Call Him OG, has begun its rampage in the advance booking as it is generating explosive buzz in the US ahead of its September 25, 2025, release. Featuring Kalyan as a vengeful mob boss alongside Emraan Hashmi and Priyanka Arulmohan, the Telugu-language film has its premiere on September 24. Directed by Sujeeth, the OG pre-sales opened on August 27 for the North America premiere, by distributor Prathyangira Cinemas, and the initial response is explosive. It has seen record-breaking advance ticket sales, with four shows at Cinemark Dallas selling out in minutes. Seeing the response, 35 premiere shows have already been scheduled at one of the top-grossing Cinemark theatres in Dallas. Trade analyst reports that only a few pan-India movies were allocated this many shows in Cinemark. Distributors expanded to Canada, pricing tickets at $25-$30, as fans fuel a potential blockbuster rivalling hits like Kalki 2898 AD, highlighting Telugu cinema's growing global appeal. Going by the initial trend, OG will be eyeing one of the biggest premiere days in North America. Trade anticipates that the film might cross $2 million premiere gross, which will be the highest for a Pawan Kalyan-starrer. Currently, there are six Telugu movies (Baahubali 2, Salaar, Devara, Pushpa 2, RRR, Kalki 2898 AD) which grossed over $2 million on their premiere in NA, and OG will be hoping to join. OG stars Pawan Kalyan in the title role of Ojas Gambheera alongside Emraan Hashmi as Omi Bhau (in his Telugu film debut), and Priyanka Mohan as the female lead. The film revolves around a ruthless don named Ojas Gambheera "OG" who returns to Mumbai following his ten-year disappearance, to reclaim his empire and exact vengeance on the current tyrant, Omi Bhau. Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

Chennai, August 14 - The D-day is here as superstar Rajinikanth's much-awaited gangster action drama Coolie hits the big screens amid huge hype. The film has set the Tamil film industry buzzing with its historic advance booking numbers for the opening day. ## Directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, Coolie will start the day with 100+ crores already in the bag as it has shattered all previous opening day pre-sales records for the Tamil cinema, cementing its place as a monumental box office force.## As per the final tracked booking, Coolie has scored a massive 108+ crores for the opening day, including around 50 crores in India and 58 crores overseas, for the opening day. This makes it the highest first-day booking ever for a Tamil film, surpassing the previous benchmark set by Leo in single-day ticket sales (100+ crores). ## However, when looking at the overall opening weekend bookings, Coolie (183 crores) fell a little short of Thalapathy Vijay's Leo, which still holds the crown with 188 crores worldwide. While Coolie dominated with unprecedented Day 1 momentum, it fell slightly short of Leo’s cumulative opening pre-sales record. ## Still, the feat is nothing short of spectacular for Rajinikanth, whose box office pull remains unmatched after decades in the industry. With Coolie releasing amid huge anticipation and clashing with Hrithik Roshan and Jr. NTR's War 2, all eyes are now on how the film converts its massive pre-sales into record-shattering collections once the final numbers roll in. ## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

Chennai, August 13 - Superstar Rajinikanth is displaying the might of his raw stardom and is proving once again why he is called the Thalaivar (leader) of Indian cinema with his upcoming gangster action drama Coolie, which has smashed all records for a Tamil cinema in advance booking. ## The Lokesh Kanagaraj directorial has crossed 100 crores gross collection worldwide on the opening day through pre-sales only. With this, it has reportedly become the biggest pre-sales grosser for a Tamil movie of all time for the first day, beating Thalapathy Vijay's Leo. ## According to the latest update, Coolie has grossed 45+ crores pre-sales in India and 55+ crores overseas, for the worldwide cume total of 100+ crores for the first day. With this, the movie is expected to score the biggest opening ever for a Tamil title, and if it happens, Thalapathy Vijay's Leo (143 crores gross) record will be broken. ## Interestingly, Coolie opens on the same weekend as Hrithik Roshan and Jr. NTR's biggie War 2, leading to one of the most high-profile box office clashes in recent years. Despite the competition, Coolie is heading towards emerging as a bigger opener by a long margin, thanks to Rajinikanth's unmatched pull in the South and abroad. ## Produced by Sun Pictures, Coolie is releasing on August 14 in Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, and Kannada. ## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

Chennai, August 13 - Superstar Rajinikanth's gangster action drama Coolie is yet to hit the big screen, and even before that, it has shattered the opening day record for an Indian movie of 2025 at the worldwide box office by beating Ram Charan's Game Changer. ## Directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, Coolie has smashed over 80+ crores in advance bookings collection with still a day left, for the opening day, which is enough to eclipse Ram Charan's Game Changer, which debuted earlier this year with an 80 crore worldwide opening. ## Coolie has locked in over 35 crore gross in India and more than 45 crore overseas so far for the opening day, marching towards 100 crores advance booking gross at the end of the day. For the opening weekend, the film has already crossed 100 crores bookings, which is the highest of the year and one of the highest of all-time. ## Coolie is produced by Sun Pictures and is set to release on August 14, taking advantage of the extended Independence Day weekend, despite clashing with Yash Raj Films' War 2. The combination of Rajinikanth’s unmatched star power, Lokesh Kanagaraj’s action-packed storytelling, and a holiday release is expected to give Coolie a record-breaking opening for a Tamil title. ## Stay tuned...