Just months after delivering a historic high with L2: Empuraan, Mohanlal has witnessed a rare and uncomfortable low at the box office. His latest release, Vrusshabha, has struggled badly since day one, turning into one of the weakest openings of his career — both in India and overseas.
Mounted on an ambitious ₹70-crore budget, the period epic has failed to find an audience, despite releasing on a holiday window and in multiple languages.
Day 3 Box Office: No Recovery in Sight
Vrusshabha opened to a shockingly low ₹60 lakh in India on Christmas Day. Trade expectations were already bleak after Day 1, but the numbers continued to slide further.
According to Sacnilk:
- Day 1 (Thursday): ₹60 lakh
- Day 2 (Friday): ₹22 lakh
- Day 3 (Saturday): ₹24 lakh
After three days, the film has managed to collect just over ₹1 crore nett in India.
Overseas performance has been even more disappointing, with the film earning only around ₹20 lakh internationally — a staggering contrast to Empuraan, which had clocked ₹65 crore gross worldwide on its opening day.
A ₹70 Cr Film Headed for a Washout
Given the current trend, Vrusshabha is staring at a near-total box office collapse. Trade experts believe the film may struggle to even touch ₹5 crore nett in India before being pulled out of theatres, as exhibitors are expected to replace it with newer releases post-weekend.
If projections hold, Vrusshabha could end up suffering losses exceeding 90%, marking one of the most severe commercial failures in Mohanlal’s otherwise legendary career.
What Went Wrong?
Critical reception played a major role in the film’s downfall. The film was largely panned upon release, and poor word-of-mouth quickly killed any chance of recovery. The dubbed versions in Hindi, Telugu, and Kannada have collectively earned just ₹34 lakh in three days, further highlighting the lack of traction across markets.
About the Film
Written and directed by Nanda Kishore, Vrusshabha features Mohanlal in a dual role, spanning two timelines — as a medieval king and a present-day businessman. The film also stars Samarjit Lankesh, Nayan Sarika, Ragini Dwivedi, Ajay, and Neha Saxena.
The film released on December 25 in Malayalam, Telugu, Hindi, and Kannada, but failed to convert scale and ambition into audience interest.
Final Words
Vrusshabha’s box office run is shaping up to be a harsh reminder that star power alone can’t guarantee success — especially in today’s content-driven landscape. Coming right after the historic success of Empuraan, this sudden crash makes the film’s failure even more glaring.
Daily Box Office Tracking
Popcorn Realm will continue to track Vrusshabha’s day-by-day box office performance, with updates on India and overseas collections as the film completes its short theatrical run.
