Pawan Kalyan’s period action film Hari Hara Veera Mallu (HHVM) is on track to become one of the biggest flops of 2025. The film saw a steep drop on its first Monday, marking the end of its theatrical run. Industry observers are calling it the biggest disaster after Ram Charan’s Game Changer.
Over the opening weekend, HHVM underperformed compared to Hindi film Saiyaara and animated feature Mahaveera Narasimha, which fared better across many centers. The signs of a struggle were visible from the start, with the project delayed for more than five years and a change in director midway.
Despite the multiple delays, it was Pawan Kalyan’s last-minute involvement and aggressive promotions that ensured the film reached audiences at all. Special 9 PM premieres a day ahead of release helped generate some initial collections, though they couldn’t prevent the crash.
Distribution-wise, Mythri Movie Makers acquired the Nizam rights, while People Media Factory reportedly invested another ₹40 crore to recover the business gap. However, it’s unclear what commitments Pawan Kalyan made to them, especially since Mythri has another project with him, while PMF does not.
The film reportedly did pre-release business of ₹100 crore across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Given the box office performance, buyers are now hoping at least GST amounts will be returned. But whether the producer can manage that remains a big question.
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