The North America (US) box office saw a mixed weekend, with Maa Inti Bangaaram continuing its dream run while the two new Telugu releases, Rao Bahadur and Nagabandham, failed to make the expected impact.
Maa Inti Bangaaram Crosses $2 Million
Sunday: $21K
Total Gross: $2.01M
Samantha‘s Maa Inti Bangaaram continues to rewrite the record books.
The film has officially crossed the $2 million mark in North America, becoming the second highest-grossing female-led Telugu film in the region after Mahanati. It is also emerging as one of the biggest profit-making Telugu films of the year.
Perhaps the biggest takeaway is Samantha’s overseas pull. The film once again proves that she enjoys a fan following in the US that is comparable to several top male stars. Even in its third weekend, Maa Inti Bangaaram managed to outperform new Telugu releases in online ticket sales, highlighting its exceptional hold.
Rao Bahadur Opens Well But Fails to Grow
Sunday: $26K
Total Gross: $295K
Rao Bahadur gave Satyadev the biggest North America opening of his career as a lead actor.
However, the film has not been able to build on that promising start.
The drops on Saturday and Sunday have been significant. While a section of audiences appreciated the film’s performances and second half, its niche storytelling and slow first half appear to have limited its reach among general moviegoers.
With a breakeven target of around $700K, the film now faces an uphill task unless it shows extraordinary weekday holds.
Nagabandham Turns Into a Washout
Sunday: $15K
Total Gross: $110K
Among this week’s releases, Nagabandham has been the biggest disappointment in North America.
The film generated decent curiosity before release thanks to its mythological-adventure backdrop, aggressive promotions, and reported Rs. 110 crores budget. But the audience response has been largely negative.
The lengthy runtime, terrible word of mouth, and mixed reviews have hurt the film badly. With just $110K after the weekend, Nagabandham has effectively ended its US run as a washout.
Alpha Performs Better Than Expected
Sunday: $136K
Total Gross: $572K
YRF’s Alpha, starring Alia Bhatt, had plenty going against it before release.
The film faced skepticism from the day it was announced. The disappointing performance of WAR 2 had weakened confidence in the Spy Universe, while Dhurandhar also shifted attention elsewhere. Reviews were mostly mixed to negative.
Despite all that, Alpha has managed a respectable run in North America. It may not become a blockbuster, but considering the pre-release negativity, the US numbers are better than many expected.
Main Vaapas Aaunga Stays Steady
Sunday: $24K
Total Gross: $1.36M
Main Vaapas Aaunga continues to hold well.
Without creating huge headlines, the film has maintained consistent collections and is on track to finish as a decent overseas earner.
This weekend once again highlighted how strong word of mouth matters more than pre-release hype.
Maa Inti Bangaaram continues to dominate even in its third weekend, while both fresh Telugu releases have struggled to attract audiences despite arriving with good promotional campaigns.
The focus now shifts to Akhil’s Lenin, which releases this week. With Rao Bahadur slowing down and Nagabandham virtually out of the race, the box office is once again wide open. If Lenin manages positive word of mouth from the first show, it could take full advantage of the vacuum left by this week’s underperformers.
