Athiradi, starring Basil Joseph and Tovino Thomas, has exceeded expectations at the Indian box office on its opening day. Given good numbers in the advance booking, it was clear the film was heading for a strong start, but it never felt it would cross Aadu 3 and pull off the second-biggest opening for Mollywood in 2026. Yes, it has crossed Aadu 3 on day 1, leaving box office enthusiasts excited.
How much did Athiradi earn at the Indian box office on day 1?
The Malayalam action comedy entertainer released in theaters yesterday (May 14). It managed to build good pre-release buzz, as evident in advance bookings, grossing 2.78 crore on opening day (including paid previews) through pre-sales alone. Also, it received audience support through over-the-counter ticket sales.
Athiradi started with a 26% occupancy in the morning shows, followed by 33% in the afternoon shows. In the evening shows, the occupancy was 45%, while in the night shows it was solid at 61%. Backed by such an occupancy throughout the day, the film scored 5.55 crore on day 1 alone, which is really good. Including 52 lakh from paid previews, its actual opening-day collection stands at a solid 6.07 crore net at the Indian box office, as per Sacnilk. It equals 7.16 crore gross.
Here’s the day-wise collection breakdown:
- Paid previews – 52 lakh
- Day 1 – 5.55 crore
Total – 6.07 crore
Registers the 2nd biggest opening for Mollywood in 2026!
With 6.07 crore, Athiradi has registered the second-biggest opening of Mollywood in 2026, surpassing Aadu 3 (5.95 crore). It is standing behind Patriot (10 crore). Going by pre-sales, the film was expected to score 4.7-5 crore net, but it has actually scored much better.
Take a look at the top Mollywood openers of 2026:
- Patriot – 10 crore
- Athiradi – 6.07 crore
- Aadu 3 – 5.95 crore
- Vaazha 2 – 4.75 crore
- Chatha Pacha: The Ring of Rowdies – 3.4 crore
Since initial word of mouth is decent, the film is expected to see a big rise over the weekend, thus concluding the 4-day extended opening weekend on a strong note. As of now, a 20 crore+ weekend is locked.
Stay tuned to Koimoi for more box office updates!
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