The period action drama Hari Hara Veera Mallu Part 1: Sword vs Spirit hit theaters on Thursday, July 24.
Set in the 17th century, the film stars Telugu superstar Pawan Kalyan as the outlaw Veera Mallu, who is tasked with stealing the legendary Koh-i-Noor diamond from the Mughal Empire ruled by Bobby Deol’s Aurangzeb.
Despite the hype, the film has underperformed. Over its opening weekend, it earned ₹75.25 crore net in India and ₹102.70 crore worldwide, according to entertainment tracking portal Sacnilk. However, on Monday (day 5), it added only ₹2.25 crore to its domestic total.
With trade experts predicting that it may not even cross ₹100 crore in India, the film is now on track to become one of the biggest box office failures of 2025. Its estimated budget is reportedly between ₹250–300 crore.
Hari Hara Veera Mallu was Pawan Kalyan’s first release since taking office as the Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh in 2024.
The actor-politician had committed to two other films prior to assuming political duties. His next release is OG, an action thriller that also marks Emraan Hashmi’s debut in Telugu cinema, slated for release on September 25.
His other project, Ustaad Bhagat Singh, a crime thriller, is yet to receive an official release date.
