Nani's 'The Paradise' opens to record Rs 40 crore-plus global box office on Day 1

Advance Sales Set a Pre-Release Record for Nani

The Paradise, a Telugu action film starring Nani, opened in theaters on September 24 and had already crossed the Rs 40 crore mark in worldwide gross revenue through advance bookings and paid premiere shows before its regular morning screenings began, according to trade figures cited by Sacnilk and reported by the Economic Times. The advance-sales performance gave Nani his biggest opening-day start through pre-bookings alone, surpassing his previous career-best opener, HIT: The Third Case, which reportedly earned Rs 37.80 crore worldwide on its first day in 2025. The film also benefited from paid premiere shows held on September 23, which contributed to the early worldwide figure.

Certification Limits Audience Size Despite Strong Demand

The Paradise received an 'A' certificate from the Central Board of Film Certification, restricting it to adult audiences and narrowing its potential theatrical base relative to films with wider certifications, the Economic Times noted. Even with that restriction, the advance-booking response was strong, particularly in Telugu-speaking markets, where Telangana and Andhra Pradesh emerged as the leading contributors to domestic pre-sales. Hyderabad alone generated more than Rs 7.40 crore in Day 1 advance sales according to the same Sacnilk-cited figures.

North America Drives International Pre-Sales

International pre-sales provided an early lift, with North America pre-sales totaling approximately Rs 10.60 crore ahead of the film's regular release, the Economic Times reported citing Sacnilk. North America had also been a focal point during the pre-release window; India Today, citing trade analyst Ramesh Bala, reported that North America premieres crossed $1 million in pre-sales, contributing to worldwide pre-sales that crossed Rs 43 crore in the run-up to opening day. Karnataka, a non-Telugu market, registered around Rs 2.01 crore in India advance bookings, with Tamil Nadu at Rs 68.54 lakh and Maharashtra at Rs 20.61 lakh, per Sacnilk data cited by India Today.

Day 1 Projection Points to Nani's Career-Best Opening

Bala estimated that The Paradise could open in the Rs 50–60 crore worldwide gross range on Day 1 if the final surge and walk-ins matched the prevailing buzz, and said the higher end of that range was achievable, as quoted by India Today. As of the latest advance update cited by India Today, the film had sold roughly 8.50 lakh tickets across 6,849 shows in India with an occupancy of 37 percent and 99 sold-out shows. The Economic Times noted that early audience and critic reactions were mixed, with responses varying across story, action sequences, and the second half.

Next Milestone: Full Day 1 Domestic and Worldwide Collection

The closely watched next data point is The Paradise's full Day 1 worldwide net and gross collection, including walk-ins beyond advance and premiere sales, which trade trackers such as Sacnilk are expected to publish once evening and night shows conclude on September 24.