Pawan Kalyan had hoped to ride the wave of pro-Hindu sentiment currently resonating in the Hindi heartland.
With recent hits like Chhaava — which depicted the atrocities of Aurangzeb in graphic detail — succeeding at the box office, he expected that the portrayal of Aurangzeb as the antagonist in Hari Hara Veera Mallu, along with his own image rooted in Sanatana Dharma, would resonate with North Indian audiences.
Despite not actively promoting the film in the Hindi belt, Pawan Kalyan appeared confident that BJP supporters would rally behind it, especially since his Jana Sena Party is part of the NDA alliance. He reportedly viewed the film as a way to elevate his standing within the coalition.
However, the strategy didn’t work.
The Hindi version of Hari Hara Veera Mallu managed to collect only ₹29 lakh over five days—a dismal figure by any standard.
The film’s performance clearly suggests that Pawan Kalyan’s Sanatana Dharma projection has limited appeal beyond media narratives and does not necessarily translate to box office success in the Hindi market.
