Empuraan box office collection prediction day 1: The countdown has begun for the worldwide release of actor Prithviraj Sukumaran’s third directorial venture, the Mohanlal-starrer L2: Empuraan. The immense anticipation surrounding the action thriller was evident when BookMyShow, India’s leading entertainment ticketing platform, reportedly crashed for a brief period due to heavy traffic soon after its online bookings opened on Friday morning. While Empuraan is almost certain to deliver the biggest worldwide opening for a Malayalam film, it just needs to be seen how high the final number will go. Currently, this record is held by renowned filmmaker Priyadarshan's epic historical drama Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham (2021), starring Mohanlal himself in the lead role, which grossed just over Rs 20 crore on its first day. ICYMI | 7 iconic moments from Mohanlal and Prithviraj Sukumaran’s Lucifer that redefined on-screen mass appeal To gain a clearer picture of Empuraan's box office prospects, SCREEN spoke to a few leading industry analysts, all of whom agreed that the film is set for a massive debut. In separate conversations, both Ramesh Bala and AB George predicted that the film would undoubtedly surpass the Rs 40 crore mark worldwide. "This will set a new record for Malayalam cinema," Bala said. George, meanwhile, noted: "Based on current trends, the opening figure is expected to be between Rs 40 and 45 crore, which itself is huge, considering Marakkar's record stands at Rs 20.4 crore. Empuraan will comfortably earn more than double that amount. Moreover, if the film receives extremely positive responses, it could even become the first Malayalam movie to register a Rs 50 crore opening worldwide. Either way, it is likely to hold the record for quite some time." Watch Empuraan trailer here: In Kerala, industry tracker Sreedhar Pillai noted, the film has the potential to earn Rs 8 to Rs 10 crore on its first day. "With the film releasing on over 600 screens, it even has the potential to cross Rs 10 crore on its first day. Also, if the film receives at least moderately positive feedback, it could do even better, driven by word-of-mouth," he explained. According to reports, director Lokesh Kanagaraj’s ‘Thalapathy’ Vijay-starrer Leo currently holds the record for the highest opening-day collection in Kerala (Rs 12 crore). Following it are Prashanth Neel’s Yash-starrer KGF: Chapter 2 (2022, Rs 7.25 crore), VA Shrikumar’s Mohanlal-starrer Odiyan (2018, Rs 6.76 crore) and Nelson’s Vijay-starrer Beast (2022, Rs 6.6 crore). Thrissur's Prestigious Lalettan's strong fort #Ragam - 5 days all shows sold out 🙏🔥 Informed Booking apps to open second week booking 🙏🔥 BOX OFFICE TOOFFAAN 🙏 pic.twitter.com/2cHbiO5nWn — AB George (@AbGeorge_) March 21, 2025 View this post on Instagram A post shared by Aashirvad Cinemas (@aashirvadcine) Commenting on the film’s international prospects, Pillai said, "Right now, Empuraan has a huge advantage outside India, where it faces no major competition. The advance bookings in the Gulf countries, Europe and the US indicate strong demand. On day one, it will do fantastic, bumper business." While Marakkar recorded an impressive debut, its lifetime collection ended at Rs 45.4 crore worldwide, according to Sacnilk, due to poor reviews. This underscores that Empuraan’s long-term success will depend on audience reception in its initial days. Also starring Prithviraj, Manju Warrier, Tovino Thomas, Indrajith Sukumaran, Abhimanyu Singh, Suraj Venjaramoodu and Kishore, among others, Empuraan is set to hit the screens on March 27.
