Mammootty’s latest crime thriller Kalamkaval has delivered an impressive opening at the box office, collecting an estimated ₹4.75 crore on Day 1, according to industry tracker Sacnilk. The film had already created buzz before its release by registering the third-highest advance bookings in Malayalam cinema this year, behind only Mohanlal’s Empuraan and Thudarum.
Released across 900+ shows nationwide, Kalamkaval posted a solid 49.29% overall occupancy on its first day.
Occupancy Pattern Shows Strong Audience Pull
The film’s performance remained steady throughout the day:
- Morning shows: 40.16%
- Afternoon: 34.56%
- Evening: 54.54%
- Night shows: 67.89% (peak)
Region-wise performance:
- Kochi: 75.75% occupancy (strongest)
- Thiruvananthapuram: 45.5% occupancy
- Bengaluru: 34% occupancy (172 shows, highest number of screenings)
Outshines Several Recent Mammootty Releases
Kalamkaval opened significantly better than Mammootty’s recent films:
- Bazooka: ₹3.2 crore
- Dominic and the Ladies’ Purse: ₹1.75 crore
- Bramayugam: ₹3.65 crore
However, it still trails his biggest recent openers:
- Turbo: ₹6.25 crore
- Bheeshma Parvam: ₹5.9 crore
- Agent: ₹5.95 crore
Beats Lokah Chapter 1 and Other 2025 Hits
In the wider context of Mollywood’s 2025 box office:
- Kalamkaval beats Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra (₹2.7 crore opening)
- Outperforms Pranav Mohanlal’s Dies Irae (₹4.7 crore)
- Surpasses Mohanlal’s Hridayapoorvam (₹3.25 crore)
Only major blockbusters like L2: Empuraan (₹21 crore) and Thudarum (₹6.32 crore) are ahead.
Strong Weekend Expected
With no major competitors in theatres and positive word of mouth, Kalamkaval is poised for a strong weekend. Whether it can break into the top three Mollywood grossers of 2025 will depend on its Saturday–Sunday momentum.
Originally published on 24×7-news.com.
