The Paradise box office: Nani film nears ₹72.31 crore after a sharp day two drop

Nani's The Paradise, directed by Srikanth Odela, has given the actor the biggest opening of his career, even as its collections have slowed sharply after that start. The action drama opened in theatres on Thursday, with paid premieres the evening before, on Wednesday.

The premieres alone brought in ₹11.60 crore net, and the film added ₹34.65 crore net in India on its opening day. That combined start of ₹46.25 crore is the highest Nani has ever had. The pace did not last, though. On Friday, its second day, the film collected ₹14.90 crore net, a steep fall from day one.

Early figures for the third day show about ₹11.16 crore by 8 PM, which takes the India total to roughly ₹72.31 crore. Estimates reportedly put the day's final number at ₹12 crore to ₹14 crore, which would lift the total to ₹73 to 75 crore net if night shows draw bigger crowds. Overseas, the film has reportedly grossed ₹25 crore, which puts its worldwide gross at ₹97.50 crore.

Reviews have played a big part in the slowdown. Critics and audiences have not been kind, and the response has ranged from mixed to negative. The film is reportedly made on a budget of ₹200 crore, so its run in the coming days matters a lot.

The makers, however, seem calm, and they held a success meet on Saturday. At the event, Nani said that these days many films get a warm response in the morning that turns by evening. With The Paradise, he said, it was the reverse: the film started one way with the premieres, and then the mood changed. He added that he had not seen anything like this for a recent film.

The film is produced by Sudhakar Cherukuri and Ishan Saksena under Sri Lakshmi Venkateshwara Cinemas and IVY Entertainment. Mohan Babu, Kayadu Lohar, Sonali Kulkarni and Raghav Juyal also star. Set in the 1980s, the story follows the Savaari tribe and its fight for citizenship. Sonali plays the tribe's leader, Sammakka, and Nani plays her son, Jadal. Mohan Babu plays the feudal overlord Shikanja Malik, and Raghav plays his son, Vikram Malik.