While this year’s Sankranti season arrived with massive expectations and nearly ₹850 crore riding on four big Telugu releases, the box office story is now becoming clear. Among the festive heavyweights, Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu, led by megastar Chiranjeevi, has quietly but firmly emerged as the only film to actually hit its breakeven point — even if it hasn’t exploded into a record-breaking blockbuster.
Nine days into its run, the film continues to show stability at a time when its competitors are rapidly losing steam.
Day 9 Box Office: Holding Strong in Week Two
On its second Tuesday (Day 9), Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu earned ₹5.75 crore, taking its total India net collection to ₹171.65 crore, according to early trade estimates. While the numbers are lower than its opening stretch, the film’s consistency is what’s keeping it ahead of the pack.
The film had opened to an impressive ₹40 crore on Day 1, even though it released on a Monday — a strong signal of festive pull and Chiranjeevi’s enduring box office power. Since then, daily drops have been controlled rather than dramatic, allowing the film to stay afloat well into its second week.
Screens Down, Stability Intact
On Day 9, the film recorded an overall occupancy of 23.38% across 1,436 shows nationwide. That’s a noticeable reduction from its opening-day presence, when it was running in 2,356 shows. Nearly 920 screens have been dropped, but despite that contraction, audience turnout has remained steady enough to keep collections healthy.
This balance between reduced screens and stable footfalls has proven crucial, especially as other Sankranti releases struggle to sustain momentum.
Breakeven Achieved on the Global Stage
Beyond domestic numbers, the film has already crossed an important milestone overseas. With over ₹245 crore in worldwide gross collections, Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu has officially surpassed its reported ₹200 crore production budget, putting it safely in the breakeven zone globally.
That achievement alone sets it apart from the rest of the festive lineup, most of which are still battling heavy recoveries.
How the Other Sankranti Films Are Faring
The contrast becomes sharper when compared to the rest of the Sankranti releases.
The Raja Saab, starring Prabhas, has seen a steep fall. Despite being made on a massive ₹440 crore budget, the film earned only ₹73 lakh on Tuesday, with occupancy hovering at 16.61% across 880 shows. Though its worldwide total has crossed ₹200 crore in 12 days, the film is still far from recovering its costs.
Similarly, Bhartha Mahasayulaku Wignyapthi, led by Ravi Teja, has struggled badly. On Day 7, it earned just ₹55 lakh, pushing its India net total to ₹12.65 crore. The film is now playing in only around 350 shows nationwide, indicating a rapid pullback from theatres.
A Smaller Film Showing Promise
Interestingly, the only other Sankranti release showing signs of resilience is Anaganaga Oka Raju, starring Naveen Polishetty. Made on a comparatively modest ₹40 crore budget, the film opened at ₹6.15 crore and grew over the weekend.
Within seven days, it collected ₹38.10 crore in India, while its overseas earnings have already helped it reach breakeven. The film is currently running in over 900 shows, making it a quiet success story driven by controlled costs and positive audience response.
Final Words
With nine days in the books, Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu may not be rewriting box office records, but it is doing something arguably more important this Sankranti — delivering stability in a season filled with volatility. In a crowded festive window where big budgets and star power haven’t guaranteed success, Chiranjeevi’s film stands tall as the only clear financial winner so far.
As screens continue to reshuffle and competition fades, the film’s steady hold could help it extend its run further — and in a season like this, that consistency speaks louder than fireworks.
