Varun Tej’s Korean Kanakaraju opening day collection has crossed ₹10.2 crore worldwide, including premieres, giving the actor the biggest opening of his career. Directed by Merlapaka Gandhi, the horror comedy has also shown encouraging Day 2 bookings and a solid start in the USA.
Korean Kanakaraju Gives Varun Tej His Biggest Opening
Varun Tej has registered a strong box-office comeback with Korean Kanakaraju, which collected more than ₹10.2 crore gross worldwide on its opening day, including paid premieres. The figure marks the biggest first-day collection of Varun Tej’s career and gives the horror-comedy a promising start to its theatrical run. Directed by Merlapaka Gandhi and backed by UV Creations and First Frame Entertainments, the film entered theatres with encouraging audience response from its premiere shows. That early momentum continued through the opening day, with reportedly healthy occupancy across urban centres as well as single-screen theatres.
Horror-Comedy Blend Drives Positive Audience Response
One of Korean Kanakaraju’s key strengths appears to be its balance between horror and comedy. Rather than relying entirely on frightening sequences, the movie keeps humour at the centre of its storytelling, making it accessible to a broader audience. Positive reactions to the comedy, entertainment value and horror elements from paid premieres helped create favourable word of mouth ahead of the regular theatrical shows. The response reportedly strengthened as the day progressed, supporting the film’s booking trends and giving the makers confidence about its performance over the extended opening weekend.
Day 2 Bookings and USA Gross Add to Momentum
The advance booking trend for the second day has emerged as another positive indicator for the film. Korean Kanakaraju has crossed 2.5 lakh ticket sales collectively across BookMyShow and the District App, with bookings continuing at a steady pace. The film has also begun well in the overseas market, particularly North America. Its USA gross has crossed $175,000, contributing to the ₹10.2 crore-plus worldwide opening. The combination of domestic collections, overseas numbers and advance ticket sales suggests that audience interest has continued beyond the initial premiere-driven momentum.
Bonalu Holiday Could Boost Extended Weekend Collections
Trade expectations around Korean Kanakaraju remain positive, especially as favourable word of mouth could help the film sustain its theatrical performance. The upcoming Bonalu holiday on Monday may provide an additional boost to footfalls and give the movie an opportunity to extend its opening-weekend momentum. With Varun Tej recording his biggest opening, the Merlapaka Gandhi directorial now faces the crucial task of maintaining steady collections after the initial surge. If audience response remains supportive, the horror comedy could strengthen its box-office position further during the holiday period.
