Sankranti 2024: Unexpected Twists!

Sankranti suspense is over, all four releases are out, and their verdict is pretty much clear. Let’s start with the North-America box office performance and see where they stand.

In overseas markets, Hanuman is an outright winner by miles. Guntur Kaaram is pretty much winding down, and the other two are non-starters, surprisingly.

Hanuman

Prashanth Varma – Teja Sajja’s Hanuman has already minted $2.5 million and is still going strong with packed houses. The fact that Hanuman has already beaten Guntur Kaaram shows its strength at the box office. The film is targeting the $4 million mark going by the current trend, and the second weekend will make it clearer where it will end up.

In India, with limited shows in some key regions, Hanuman is running with packed shows and strong word of mouth, taking full advantage of the holiday season.

Guntur Kaaram

The Mahesh Babu – Trivikram combo is always seen as a magical combo, but Guntur Kaaram, after the initial pull of $2 million, crashed the U.S. box office. The trend is clear; it is at $2.25 million now and will wind up its run soon. This will end up as a big loss venture for the U.S. distributor.

In India, Guntur Kaaram is doing well, making the most of the festive holidays, and we will know in a few days how the recovery will be in Telugu states.

Saindhav

Saindhav is an outright disaster in both America and India. The film is a non-starter in the U.S.; so far, it has collected $179K, but the breakeven is near $1 million.

This is a big disaster overseas, and in India too, the film is struggling right from the start, and the holiday advantage did not help the content.

Naa Saami Ranga

Nagarjuna has been adamant to release Naa Saami Ranga for Sankranti at any cost, and the gamble seems to be paying off. The film is running well in Telugu states, but it has a limited number of shows.

In the U.S., it’s a non-starter; it has collected about $50K so far, and the film is a last-minute arrangement for the U.S. distributor rather than the usual deal. So, the overseas breakeven value will be very less around $200K, but looking at the trend, it may not even reach that point.