Pawan Kalyan's Ustaad Bhagat Singh Struggles at Box Office Despite Ugadi Release

Pawan Kalyan’s much-anticipated film Ustaad Bhagat Singh has had a turbulent start at the box office, collecting nearly ₹80 crore worldwide over its first four days, despite leveraging the Ugadi festival for its release. This outcome has startled both fans and industry insiders, as expectations were high from the star-actor and director Harish Shankar, especially following Kalyan’s previous blockbuster, OG.

The project, produced with considerable fanfare, saw a strong opening day with around ₹50 crore grossed, yet daily collections dropped steadily throughout the extended weekend. The film’s performance paled in comparison to OG’s sensational start, which crossed ₹140 crore on its first day. Social media buzz indicates disappointment among fans, with many questioning the lack of quality and freshness in the film’s narrative and execution.

Industry observers have pointed to several factors behind the underwhelming response. Despite three years of preparation, critics have described Harish Shankar’s script as outdated, and the execution reportedly failed to resonate across audience segments. The film was shot primarily in Hyderabad’s Aluminium Factory and Amaravathi, which some say contributed to a lack of visual variety. Additionally, the music by Devi Sri Prasad and Thaman drew criticism for failing to create pre-release excitement. As per reports, limited promotional efforts further dampened the film’s pre-release buzz.

Compounding the film’s struggles, competition from Bollywood’s Dhurandhar: The Revenge and even Malayalam film Aadu 3 surpassed Ustaad Bhagat Singh in ticket sales during the same period, both domestically and abroad. With its current trajectory, trade analysts are uncertain if the film can reach the ₹100 crore mark.

All eyes are now on Pawan Kalyan’s upcoming projects to see if he can bounce back and reclaim his box office dominance.