Ustaad Bhagat Singh Day 1 Box Office Collection Prediction: Pawan Kalyan-starrer eyes Rs 105 crore opening against Dhurandhar 2 

However, industry analysts in the two states paint a different picture, quoting worldwide gross to be below Rs 85 crore. On the advance booking front, film industry tracker Ramesh Bala reported that worldwide pre-sales crossed the Rs 20 crore mark ahead of the March 19 release. That is a significant step down from Pawan Kalyan’s previous outing. They Call Him OG registered Day 1 pre-sales of over Rs 40 crore gross at the Indian box office, and in a solo release, Ustaad Bhagat Singh would have fetched a 50 crore-plus opening.

Ustaad Bhagat Singh Movie Review LIVE Updates: Pawan Kalyan-starrer gets preference over Dhurandhar The Revenge in Telugu states’ single screens

The Ugadi festive bump should provide a floor for single-screen performance across the Telugu states, where Pawan Kalyan’s fanbase remains his strongest asset. Single screens in mass centres are expected to run at high occupancy regardless of competition, and that segment is unlikely to be disrupted by Dhurandhar 2’s multiplex-heavy pull.

The Dhurandhar 2 Factor

Koimoi notes that due to the strong buzz around Dhurandhar 2, Ustaad Bhagat Singh is expected to take a hit particularly in the Telugu states and in North America, where advance sales have been notably subdued. Filmibeat reported that in North America, the film collected $236K in advance bookings, considerably lower than comparable Pawan Kalyan releases in that market.

According to Sunil Narang, one of the many exhibitors in Telangana, the split is fairly clear geographically: Ustaad Bhagat Singh is expected to dominate single screens and B and C centres in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, while urban multiplexes in Hyderabad and major metros could skew toward the Ranveer Singh film, especially given Dhurandhar 2’s pan-India positioning.

No ticket hike in Telangana

While the Andhra Pradesh government granted a ticket price hike of up to Rs 100 for single screens and Rs 125 for multiplexes for a 10-day window, Mythri Movie Makers chose not to implement any hike in Telangana.

The reason: after winning a Supreme Court stay on the Telangana High Court’s 90-day restriction on special pricing, the producers simply did not get the time to arrange a formal meeting with Chief Minister Revanth Reddy to process and finalise the hike before release. Rather than hold back the date waiting for that meeting, they moved forward with regular ticket prices in the state. That decision keeps Nizam and Hyderabad at standard rates, which, while audience-friendly, will cap the gross ceiling for what is traditionally the film’s highest-value territory.

What the film does have going for it is the Ugadi footfall guarantee, Pawan Kalyan’s deep-rooted base in the Telugu mass centres, and early audience reactions that have been largely positive. If word of mouth holds through the first two days, the film has a genuine shot at a solid week-long run, which is ultimately what will determine whether the Rs 200 crore breakeven target is within reach. A strong Day 1 is necessary, but in this case, the days after may matter just as much.