Teja Sajja’s Telugu mythological superhero film, “HanuMan,” has surpassed the daily collections of Mahesh Babu’s “Guntur Kaaram” on its fifth day, marking a significant milestone by crossing the Rs 100 crore mark globally. Despite a modest budget, the absence of major stars, and a relatively new director in Prashanth Varma, HanuMan has gained substantial momentum fueled by positive word-of-mouth.
Starting with an opening that was around one-fifth of “Guntur Kaaram’s” first-day earnings, HanuMan showcased a remarkable surge in collections. On its fifth day, the film grossed Rs 12.75 crore, following an initial opening of Rs 8 crore. The positive trend continued over the weekend, with a Monday collection of Rs 15 crore, reflecting a marginal 5% decline from Sunday’s earnings of Rs 16 crore. The cumulative domestic earnings for HanuMan have now reached Rs 68 crore, positioning it for a potential Rs 100 crore milestone domestically by Friday or Saturday.
Directed by Prashanth Varma and featuring Teja Sajja in the lead role, HanuMan achieved a 68% occupancy rate for its Telugu version on the fifth day, with evening and night shows garnering the highest audience at 70% occupancy. Notably, screenings in Hyderabad and Vijayawada recorded over 90% occupancy. However, the Hindi version of the film lagged with only a 12% occupancy on the fifth day, indicating a slower crossover. In contrast, “Guntur Kaaram” reportedly earned Rs 11 crore in India on its fifth day, accumulating domestic collections of Rs 94 crore.
On the global front, HanuMan has successfully reached the Rs 100 crore mark, as confirmed by trade analyst Manobala Vijayabalan. Considering Tuesday’s domestic collections, the film’s total global earnings now stand at least at Rs 112 crore. The film’s international performance was particularly noteworthy in the US, where it raked in $2.3 million (Rs 19 crore) from just 430 screens during its opening weekend. The positive response prompted the domestic distributor to expand its screen count. Excitingly, a sequel titled “Jai Hanuman” is reportedly scheduled for release in 2025, adding to the film’s success story.