Bengaluru: Kannada star Darshan Thoogudeepa’s much-anticipated film The Devil opened in theatres on Thursday to a strong response at the box office, but witnessed a significant dip in collections on its second day, raising questions about its sustainability over the weekend.
According to early trade estimates, The Devil earned around ₹10 crore on its opening day across Karnataka and select overseas markets. However, the momentum could not be sustained on Friday, with the film reportedly collecting only about ₹3.50 crore. This sharp fall on day two has taken the film’s total box office collection to approximately ₹13.50 crore within the first two days of its release.
Trade analysts note that while the opening-day figures reflected Darshan’s strong fan following, the drop on Friday suggests that mixed word-of-mouth may be impacting footfalls among the general audience.
Day-wise box office performance
As per industry tracker Sacnilk, The Devil had an impressive start, driven largely by fan shows, advance bookings, and high occupancy in single screens on day one. The ₹10 crore opening was considered a solid figure for a Kannada film, especially in the current market scenario.
However, the second day saw collections fall by nearly 65 per cent, which is considered steep even by post-opening standards. The ₹3.50 crore earned on Friday indicates that the film may face challenges in maintaining consistent numbers unless it witnesses a strong rebound over the weekend.
Trade observers point out that for star-driven films, a dip on Friday is not unusual, but the extent of the decline in this case has surprised many within the industry.
Theatre occupancy trends
Occupancy figures on Friday further underline the uneven response to The Devil. The film registered an overall Kannada occupancy of around 35.41 per cent across theatres.
Morning shows began on a weak note, recording an occupancy of just 17.81 per cent. Collections improved marginally in the afternoon, with occupancy rising to 29.03 per cent. Evening shows saw better footfalls at 36.24 per cent, while night shows performed the best, peaking at 58.56 per cent occupancy.
The trend suggests that while hardcore fans are still turning up for evening and night shows, family audiences and casual viewers appear to be holding back, possibly influenced by early reviews and social media reactions.
Film details and storyline
Directed by Prakash Veer, The Devil is positioned as an action thriller with a strong political undercurrent. Darshan plays a dual role in the film, portraying contrasting characters that form the emotional and narrative backbone of the story.
The film also stars Mahesh Manjrekar, Achyuth Kumar, Sharmiela Mandre and Rachana Rai in key roles. Backed by high production values, the movie was promoted as a mass entertainer with intense action sequences and a stylised presentation of its protagonist.
However, production delays reportedly affected the film’s final cut, which some critics believe is reflected in its pacing and editing.
Critical and audience response
Upon release, The Devil received mixed reviews from critics and audiences alike. While Darshan’s screen presence and certain high-impact moments were widely appreciated, the film drew criticism for its storytelling and execution.
Several viewers took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to share their opinions. One user described the film as “disappointing”, citing routine political themes, a messy narrative flow, and rushed editing. The same viewer also criticised the wig used for Darshan’s character Krishna, calling it distracting, and said the comedy portions felt forced and ineffective.
At the same time, the user praised Darshan’s “Devil” avatar, describing it as stylish, and highlighted the interval block as a strong point of the film.
Another section of the audience lauded the background score, calling it “top-notch” and saying it elevated key scenes despite the screenplay’s shortcomings. Fans of Darshan, in particular, have defended the film online, stating that it delivers enough mass moments to make it a worthwhile watch for his loyal fan base.
Box office outlook
Industry analysts believe the film’s performance over Saturday and Sunday will be crucial in determining its overall box office fate. A strong weekend jump could help offset the sharp second-day fall and push the film towards a respectable first-week total.
However, if the collections remain subdued, The Devil may struggle to achieve long-term success, especially with competition from other regional releases and upcoming films.
For now, the film appears to be relying heavily on Darshan’s star power rather than widespread audience acceptance. Whether that will be enough to sustain its theatrical run remains to be seen.
Conclusion
The Devil has had a promising start overshadowed by a worrying second-day decline. While Darshan’s fans continue to support the film, mixed reviews and a sharp drop in collections suggest that the film’s journey at the box office could be an uphill task. The coming days will be critical in deciding whether The Devil can regain momentum or settle into an average run.