“Director Shiva Nirvana’s ‘Kushi,’ featuring Vijay Deverakonda and Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Currently Screening in Theaters Nearby”
The Telugu film “Kushi,” directed by Shiva Nirvana and starring Vijay Deverakonda and Samantha Ruth Prabhu, had a solid start at the Indian box office, collecting nearly Rs. 17 crores on its first day. This marks the second-highest opening day collection of Deverakonda’s career, just behind his previous release, “Liger,” which earned Rs. 19 crores last year. Notably, “Liger” had a Hindi version contributing nearly Rs. 2 crores, while “Kushi” maintains a similar range when considering the original Telugu and Tamil dubbed versions.
Urban Success and Challenges in Smaller Centers
“Kushi” demonstrated its strength in urban centers across Telugu states and Bengaluru city, a trend typically associated with Deverakonda’s films. However, its performance in smaller centers was more ordinary. The majority of the Telugu state revenue came from Nizam, with Hyderabad being a significant contributor. In Andhra Pradesh, cities like Vizag and Vijayawada posted respectable numbers, but territories like Ceeded had a lackluster performance, generating just Rs. 1.25 crores in gross revenue. It’s worth noting that the film carries a hefty distribution cost in the Telugu states, amounting to Rs. 38 crores. Given the initial audience reception, achieving profitability is expected to be a formidable challenge.
Territorial Breakdown of First-Day Collections:
- Nizam: Rs. 7.90 crores (Rs. 4.35 crores share)
- Ceeded: Rs. 1.25 crores (Rs. 0.90 crores share)
- Andhra: Rs. 5.35 crores (Rs. 3.25 crores share)
Total AP/TS: Rs. 14.50 crores (Rs. 8.50 crores share)
Karnataka: Rs. 1.40 crores (Rs. 70 lakhs share)
Tamil Nadu: Rs. 85 lakhs (Rs. 35 lakhs share)
Rest of India: Rs. 25 lakhs (Rs. 10 lakhs share)
Overall Total: Rs. 17 crores (Rs. 9.65 crores share)
Strong Overseas Performance
“Kushi” has also garnered significant overseas attention, with an impressive USD 470K premiere in the US. The film continued to hold well on Friday, adding USD 350K to its total gross, which now stands at USD 820K. Furthermore, the film is set to benefit from an extended four-day weekend in the US, with the Monday holiday for Labor Day, potentially pushing the four-day weekend collection in the US to over USD 1.80 million.