Bhooth Bangla has opened on a solid note, marking a strong comeback at the box office for Akshay Kumar. After a preview release earlier in the week, the film saw a sharp rise in earnings on Friday.

The horror-comedy collected ₹12.15 crore from over 12,000 shows, a significant 250% jump from its preview earnings of ₹3.50 crore on April 16. With this boost, its total gross collection in India has reached ₹18.90 crore, while the net domestic figure stands at ₹15.75 crore. Worldwide, the film has earned ₹23.90 crore so far.

Despite the upward trend, the opening performance presents a mixed picture compared to Akshay Kumar’s recent films. Jolly LLB 3 opened slightly higher at ₹12.5 crore, while Housefull 5 debuted strongly with around ₹24 crore. On the lower end, Kesari Chapter 2 had an opening of ₹7.76 crore. Still, Bhooth Bangla stands as his biggest opener since Sooryavanshi, which earned about ₹26.29 crore on day one.

Within the horror-comedy genre, however, the film lags behind recent hits. Thamma opened at ₹24 crore last year, while Stree 2 set a high benchmark with ₹51.8 crore on its first day. It also trails Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 (₹14.11 crore) and Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 (₹35.5 crore).

At the same time, the film faces competition from Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar 2, which continues to perform steadily even after a month in theatres. On its 30th day, the spy thriller added ₹2.70 crore, pushing its total net collection past ₹1,105 crore.

Directed by Priyadarshan, the film marks his reunion with Akshay Kumar after several successful collaborations, including Hera Pheri, Garam Masala, Bhagam Bhag, Bhool Bhulaiyaa, De Dana Dan, and Khatta Meetha.

The movie features a strong ensemble cast including Wamiqa Gabbi, Tabu, Rajpal Yadav, and Jisshu Sengupta.

Addressing controversy over a song allegedly resembling one from Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne by Satyajit Ray, Priyadarshan dismissed concerns, stating that similarities can occur and emphasizing his deep respect for the legendary director.

Source NDTV