Drishyam 3 Day 1: SRK, Allu Arjun BO Records in Danger?

Drishyam 3 is turning into a box-office monster and a blockbuster already on its first day.

The Ajay Devgn starrer is heading towards around Rs. 65 crores net on Day 1, with Rs. 60 crores looking almost certain. The only question is how close it gets to Rs. 65 crores.

Dhurandhar 2 still holds the top spot with around Rs. 75 crores net, but Drishyam 3 is in the race to beat Shah Rukh Khan’s Jawan’s Rs. 64.50 crores opening.

Interestingly, the film could have opened even bigger.

The makers did not hold paid previews despite the huge demand. They also went with a relatively late start, even though press shows and reviews were out before release. An early-morning release and paid previews could have pushed the opening even higher.

The ticket price is also lower than Dhurandhar 2. That means Drishyam 3 is likely to record very strong footfalls compared to its actual collection.

But the biggest story is the franchise power.

Drishyam is a family thriller, not the usual genre for massive opening days. Yet the Drishyam brand has grown far beyond the genre. The characters, family emotions and curiosity around the final chapter have turned the film into a massive theatrical tsunami.

Maharashtra is leading the charge in spectacular fashion. The film is putting up numbers that could challenge the massive figures posted by Pushpa 2 in the circuit. Gujarat is also performing strongly, while NCR is seeing extraordinary demand. Several theatres are nearly packed, creating a shortage of available shows.

The national holiday (Gandhi Jayanti) has also helped in a big way.

Overseas is also showing strong growth for Ajay Devgn. North America could come close to USD 1 million on Day 1, while the worldwide overseas opening could reach around USD 2 million.

The opening weekend could cross Rs. 175 crores net only from India.

Drishyam 3 is proving one thing: a strong franchise can become bigger than its genre. A family thriller has opened at a level that many big-budget action spectacles would dream of achieving.