BY CHRISTA LINCY
If you have been following the buzz around Suriya's latest outing, Karuppu, the advance booking numbers suggest a project that is finding a solid footing ahead of its release. Directed by RJ Balaji and produced by Dream Warrior Pictures, the film has managed to secure a significant theatrical window. In a major move to accommodate the anticipated rush, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister has approved special 9 AM shows for the first two days, May 14 and 15, giving the film a much-needed headstart in its home territory.
While the advance numbers for Karuppu are promising, they are being measured against a very high bar set earlier this year. Currently, Parasakthi holds the record for the biggest opening day of the year in Tamil Nadu, having netted 12.50 crore on its first day across 3,603 shows. That translated to a domestic gross of 14.50 crore. For Karuppu to claim the top spot, it will need to leverage its higher show count of 4,384 and the approved special shows to bridge that gap. Surpassing the benchmark set by Parasakthi remains the primary challenge as the film heads into its release day.
Looking at the domestic financial haul, Karuppu has already amassed approximately 3.00 crore in advance booking gross across India. When you factor in blocked seats, that figure stretches to 5.59 crore. The Tamil version is clearly doing the heavy lifting here, contributing 2.85 crore of that total. With 177,660 tickets already sold for the first day across 3,809 shows in the Tamil 2D format, the movie is entering the box office with a healthy reservoir of pre-release interest.
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The regional distribution shows a strong preference in major hubs. Chennai remains the focal point, contributing 1.18 crore with a 29 percent occupancy rate across 718 shows. If we look at the broader Tamil Nadu landscape, the film has secured 2.35 crore in gross bookings with a 17 percent real occupancy. Neighboring markets are also chipping in, with Coimbatore adding 28.85 lakh and Bengaluru's Tamil version bringing in 24.31 lakh. Beyond the primary state, Kerala and Karnataka have added 20.89 lakh and 27.19 lakh respectively, ensuring the film has a balanced footprint across the South.
While the Tamil version dominates, the Telugu market is also beginning to register. The aggregate Telugu 2D bookings stand at 14.38 lakh from 575 shows. A closer look at the Telugu-speaking regions reveals that Hyderabad is leading the pack with 6.73 lakh. Other contributors include Warangal at 54.29 thousand, Vijayawada at 39.15 thousand, and Vizag at 24.59 thousand. Though occupancy rates in these regions are currently modest—hovering around 6 percent in Hyderabad—the sheer number of cities, including Guntur, Karimnagar, and Mahbubnagar, indicates a wide release strategy that could see a boost once the early reviews are out.
The digital footprint on BookMyShow has shown an aggressive upward curve over the last few days. Starting with 13.42 thousand tickets on May 10, the bookings jumped to 31.72 thousand on May 11, and then skyrocketed to 74.09 thousand by May 12. This brings the cumulative BMS sales to 119.23 thousand tickets. Even within the day, the pace is quick; between 1 PM and 2 PM today, the platform sold over 4.3 thousand tickets, contributing to a total of 22.34 thousand tickets sold since 7 AM this morning.
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To stay updated with the live trends and final numbers from the pre-sales period, you can check the full report here: Karuppu 2026 First Day Advance Booking Report.
The national multiplex chains are also providing a steady stream of revenue. For the opening weekend, the cumulative ticket sales across PVR, INOX, and Cinepolis have reached a solid 84.5 thousand as of 3 pm on May 13. Breaking this down by day, the release day (Thursday) has booked 44.9 thousand tickets. Friday follows with 15.1 thousand, Saturday with 13.1 thousand, and Sunday with 11.4 thousand. Within these chains, PVR is the primary driver, accounting for over 31.8 thousand tickets for the opening day alone, reflecting a 30 percent occupancy rate in their screens.
On the international front, the North American market is showing a more cautious start with total premiere advance sales standing at 18 thousand dollars, which is approximately 15.12 lakh in Indian currency. When you factor in the combined opening day bookings, the total North American tally reaches 32 thousand dollars, or about 26.88 lakh. Looking specifically at the USA premieres, the film has secured 6,717 dollars (around 5.64 lakh) from 468 tickets sold across 30 locations. While these figures have been somewhat affected by late premiere start times, the project still maintains a visible presence in major states like California and Texas as it prepares for its global rollout.
Ultimately, Karuppu is heading into its release with a domestic ticket tally of over 188 thousand across 4,384 shows. By securing special shows and maintaining a high volume of shows in its primary language, the film has created a sturdy foundation. While the overseas and Telugu markets are still warming up, the sheer dominance in Tamil Nadu suggests that the film has enough fuel to ensure a respectable opening weekend at the box office.
Tollywood
