Bhooth Bangla, the latest offering from Akshay Kumar and director Priyadarshan, has made an impressive mark at the box office on its opening day. Combining the elements of horror and comedy, the film has garnered positive responses, contributing to strong earnings both in India and internationally.
The film launched on April 17, with paid previews the previous night generating ₹3.50 crore. On its official release, buoyed by favorable reviews, Bhooth Bangla amassed ₹12.25 crore, bringing its total opening day earnings to ₹15.75 crore net (or ₹18.90 crore gross). Despite starting with a modest occupancy rate of around 10% during morning shows, viewer interest soared to more than 30% later in the day, raising expectations for a strong Saturday performance and further increases in domestic revenue.
While Bhooth Bangla’s international earnings weren’t as stellar, the film still managed to earn over $550,000 overseas, totaling its global earnings to approximately ₹24 crore on the first day.
In terms of its standing within the horror-comedy genre, Bhooth Bangla ranks among the more successful Bollywood films of this kind. The genre has gained momentum, particularly following the successes of titles like Stree and the Bhool Bhulaiyaa franchise. Notably, Bhooth Bangla exceeded the opening day numbers of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, which had brought in ₹21 crore worldwide in 2022. Nevertheless, it falls short of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3’s impressive ₹53 crore debut and also behind last year’s Thamma, which opened to ₹31 crore. Stree 2 continues to set the benchmark within horror-comedies, having commenced with a record-breaking ₹80 crore in 2024.
Directed by Priyadarshan, Bhooth Bangla marks his return to Hindi cinema after a five-year hiatus and represents the first collaboration with Akshay Kumar in 14 years. The cast includes notable actors such as Tabu, Wamiqa Gabbi, Paresh Rawal, Rajpal Yadav, and Mithila Palkar, contributing to the film’s diverse appeal.