New Delhi: Indian cinema’s box office pulses with diverse hits and misses as December unfolds. Nandamuri Balakrishna’s action spectacle Akhanda 2: Thaandavam storms in with massive openings, while Ranveer Singh’s gritty Dhurandhar dominates week two earnings.
Mammootty’s thriller Kalamkaval holds steady in Mollywood, but smaller releases like Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon 2 and Gustaakh Ishq struggle amid stiff competition. Sandalwood’s The Devil shows early promise, as audiences pick winners in this festive clash.
Akhanda 2: Thaandavam
This Tollywood sequel, released December 12, features Nandamuri Balakrishna in dual roles as divine warrior Akhanda Rudra Sikandar Aghora and his twin Murali Krishna, alongside Samyuktha, Aadhi Pinisetty, and Harshali Malhotra. Directed by Boyapati Sreenu, it unfolds a mystical battle where Akhanda protects scientist Janani from enemies exploiting ancient occult powers and biological threats in the Himalayan terrains. Box office collections hit Rs 61.5 crore gross, Rs 46.1 crore net, and Rs 54.5 crore worldwide so far, with a strong Rs 26.5 crore opening day across Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam versions despite mixed reviews.
Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon 2
The Bollywood comedy, out on December 12, stars Kapil Sharma as Mohan Sharma, who juggles three surprise marriages to Sania (Hira Warina), Meera (Tridha Choudhury), and Jenny (Parul Gulati) amid family chaos and an inspector’s pursuit. Supporting cast includes Manjot Singh, Ayesha Khan, and Sushant Singh. It has earned modest Rs 5.7 crore gross, Rs 4.35 crore net, and ₹5.2 crore worldwide to date, with Day 1 at Rs 1.85 crore and Day 2 adding Rs 2.50 crore amid low 26.63 per cent occupancy.
The Devil
Sandalwood’s action drama, which premiered on December 11, stars Darshan as the lead in a political intrigue where Chief Minister Rajashekar sends advisor Anant Nambiar to retrieve his son Dhanush from London amid corruption plots by his nephews. Key cast includes Rachana Rai, Mahesh Manjrekar, Achyuth Kumar, and Sharmiela Mandre. Collections stand at Rs 20.3 crore gross and worldwide, with Rs 13.4 crore India net after Day 3, following a Rs 10 crore opener that dropped 65 per cent on Day 2 to Rs 3.5 crore.
Dhurandhar
Ranveer Singh headlines this Bollywood saga as IB agent Hamza Ali Mazari, infiltrating Lyari gangs post-26/11 attacks, alongside Sanjay Dutt as SP Chaudhary Aslam and Akshaye Khanna as Rehman Dakait. Released December 5, it depicts Hamza’s alliances and betrayals to dismantle terror networks. The film has amassed a blockbuster Rs 446.25 crore gross, Rs 292.75 crore net, and Rs 351.25 crore worldwide, with Rs 95 crore overseas and in recent days, adding Rs 17 crore net to push past Rs 224 crore India total.
Kalamkaval
Mollywood thriller from December 5 stars Mammootty as SI Stanley Das and Vinayakan as SI Jayakrishnan, probing the 2000s Kerala riots tied to missing women patterns. Cast includes Gibin Gopinath, Gayatri Arun, Rajisha Vijayan, and Shruti Ramachandran. It has collected Rs 60.6 crore gross, Rs 30.2 crore net (nearing Rs 35.6 crore), and Rs 25 crore overseas, crossing Rs 62.50 crore worldwide in week one with steady Day 9 gains.
Gustaakh Ishq
This Bollywood romantic drama, released on November 28, follows Vijay Varma’s struggling printer Pappan seeking aid from poet Aziz (Naseeruddin Shah), blending financial woes and love. It trails with RS 2.07 crore gross, net, and worldwide, opening at Rs 0.50 crore and adding minimal weekdays like Rs 0.06 crore by Day 6 amid competition from bigger releases.
GST (Ghosts in Trouble)
Sandalwood comedy from November 28 features Srujan Lokesh as unlucky Lucky teaming with ghosts for a bank heist to grant their salvation, romancing Nidhi (Rajani Bharadwaj); cast includes Girija Lokesh and Vinaya Prasad. Earnings remain low at Rs 1.18 crore across metrics, with Day 1 at Rs 0.14 crore gross and Day 2 up 28 per cent to Rs 0.18 crore.
Revolver Rita
Kollywood dark comedy, out November 28, stars Keerthy Suresh as Rita, whose family accidentally kills gangster Pandyan (Super Subbarayan), sparking a gang war with rival Reddy; features Radhika Sarathkumar, Sunil, and Redin Kingsley. It has garnered Rs 4.71 crore gross, net, and worldwide, with no reported drops detailed.
Tere Ishk Mein
Bollywood romance from November 28 stars Dhanush as Flight Lieutenant Shankar Gurukkal courting Kriti Sanon’s Mukti Beniwal against family odds, with Prakash Raj, Priyanshu Painyuli, and Tota Roy Chowdhury. Strong performance yields Rs 153 crore gross, Rs 111.45 crore net, Rs 130.6 crore worldwide, and Rs 22.4 crore overseas.
So these are some of the movies released in the theatres. Which one are you planning to watch? Let us know in the comments below.
