The Paradise day 2 box office: Nani film passes Retro and Thug Life lifetime totals

Nani's action drama The Paradise has opened big at the worldwide box office, though the numbers differ depending on who is counting. The official two-day figure stands at ₹114 crore worldwide, while other reports put the total closer to ₹97.50 crore. Even the lower figure reportedly takes the Srikanth Odela film past the lifetime worldwide totals of Suriya's Retro and Kamal Haasan's Thug Life.

According to the official breakdown, Telangana, Nani's strongest market, brought in around ₹51 crore in two days. Andhra Pradesh added about ₹24 crore, and overseas markets contributed another ₹24 crore or so. The rest of India, including the Hindi and Tamil territories, added nearly ₹15 crore.

The opening day itself is also disputed. The producers claimed ₹88 crore worldwide for day one, while trade analysts reportedly placed it nearer ₹76 crore. In India, the film is said to have earned ₹11.60 crore from paid premieres and ₹34.65 crore net on its first day, reportedly the best opening of Nani's career. Collections then reportedly fell by 57% on Friday, to ₹14.90 crore net.

The film has drawn mixed reactions from audiences and critics, and Nani has admitted that it faced trolling after release. He has kept promoting it anyway, reportedly holding a special screening for Rapido drivers. Premium ticket prices and strong advance bookings helped the opening, and the film faces little competition from other Telugu releases for now. On the lower count, it is expected to cross ₹100 crore by the end of Saturday, and the weekend will show whether it can hold its pace.

The Paradise marks Srikanth Odela's second film with Nani after his 2023 debut Dasara. Set in 1980s Secunderabad, it follows a marginalised community fighting for dignity and justice. Reports describe the group as a tribe called Savaari that seeks legal recognition while standing up to a feudal overlord. Kayadu Lohar, Raghav Juyal and Mohan Babu share the screen with Nani, with Sonali Kulkarni also in the cast. Sudhakar Cherukuri and Ishan Saksena produce the film under Sri Lakshmi Venkateshwara Cinemas and IVY Entertainment.