Entertainment
oi-Prakash KL
Ustaad Bhagat Singh continued its box office run with a noticeable dip on Day 2, yet managed to hold firm overall, riding on a strong opening day surge and sustained interest across key Telugu-speaking markets.
The film, headlined by Pawan Kalyan, collected ₹9.25 crore net on its second day (Friday) from 3,447 shows nationwide. This marks a significant drop from its Day 1 net of ₹34.75 crore, which had come from a wider release across 4,607 shows and a robust 69% occupancy. Despite the fall, the two-day total remains impressive, with net collections reaching ₹44.00 crore and gross earnings touching ₹51.92 crore, as per Sacnilk data.
Pawan Kalyan’s Ustaad Bhagat Singh earned ₹44 crore net in its first two days, with ₹9.25 crore on Day 2 showing a significant dip but maintaining audience interest, particularly in key Telugu territories like Hyderabad.
The dip on Day 2 was largely expected, given the front-loaded nature of mass entertainers, particularly those driven by star power. However, occupancy trends suggest that the film retained a reasonable audience base through the day. The overall occupancy for Day 2 stood at 34.81%, with a gradual rise as the day progressed. Morning shows recorded a modest 19.54% occupancy, which improved to 34.31% in the afternoon and further climbed to 37.15% during the evening and night shows, indicating positive word-of-mouth or at least steady walk-in audiences.
Region-wise performance paints a clearer picture of the film’s strongholds. Hyderabad led the charge with 1,028 shows and an impressive overall occupancy of 43.8%. Notably, night shows in the city peaked at 57%, underlining the star’s enduring pull in Telangana’s urban centres. Similarly, Warangal and Kakinada emerged as standout performers, recording 53.5% and 58% occupancy respectively, with some shows crossing the 60% mark in the later hours.
In Andhra Pradesh, centres like Visakhapatnam (36.3%) and Vijayawada (32%) delivered steady numbers, though not matching the highs seen in Telangana pockets. Guntur too hovered around similar levels, indicating consistent but not exceptional traction.
Outside the core Telugu belt, the film saw a more muted response. Bengaluru, despite hosting 501 shows, registered a relatively low 22.3% occupancy. Chennai reported a slightly better 30%, reflecting moderate interest among non-Telugu audiences. Mumbai and NCR markets showed mixed trends – while overall occupancy remained low, night shows in both regions saw spikes, particularly NCR where late shows touched 67%, albeit from a limited number of screens.
The reduction in show count from Day 1 to Day 2 also contributed to the dip in collections, as distributors recalibrated screens based on demand patterns after the initial rush.
Overall, Ustaad Bhagat Singh has managed to build a solid foundation at the box office within its first two days. The real test now lies in its weekend performance. If the film capitalises on Saturday and Sunday footfall, it could stabilise its run and aim for a strong first-week total. For now, despite the expected drop, the film remains firmly in the race, buoyed by star power and decent occupancy trends in its primary markets.
