HYDERABAD: Superstar Pawan Kalyan has bounced back strongly at the box office with his latest release They Call Him OG, directed by Sujeeth and co-starring Emraan Hashmi. The film has managed to maintain momentum beyond its opening weekend, propelling it into the list of the Top 10 highest-grossing Telugu films of all time. The success comes after the underwhelming performance of his previous film, Hari Hara Veera Mallu.

Record-breaking start

The film opened to a thunderous response, setting a record for the biggest premiere day collection in the country with Rs 21 crore from its premiere shows. On its opening day, They Call Him OG minted Rs 63.75 crore across languages, with Rs 63 crore coming from the Telugu version alone.

The film’s collections remained steady over the weekend:

  • Day 2: Rs 18.45 crore (Rs 17.85 crore from Telugu)
  • Day 3: Rs 18.5 crore (Rs 17.7 crore from Telugu)
  • Day 4: Rs 18.5 crore (Rs 17.55 crore from Telugu)
  • Day 5: Rs 8.62 crore (Rs 8.01 crore from Telugu)

With these numbers, the film’s total collection has climbed to Rs 148.75 crore, of which Rs 145.11 crore has come from the Telugu version, according to data from Sacnilk.

Surpassing Pushpa: The Rise

With its Monday collection, They Call Him OG overtook Allu Arjun’s Pushpa: The Rise, which had registered Rs 136.43 crore from its Telugu version. The milestone ensured Pawan Kalyan’s film a place among the top 10 Telugu grossers of all time.

While Pushpa amassed an overall Rs 267.55 crore across languages—including Rs 106.35 crore from Hindi—the Telugu share has now been surpassed by Kalyan’s latest outing.

Telugu cinema’s top grossers

With They Call Him OG entering the elite club, the current list of Telugu cinema’s highest-grossing films includes:

  • RRR – Rs 431 crore
  • Pushpa 2: The Rule – Rs 342 crore
  • Baahubali 2: The Conclusion – Rs 338 crore
  • Kalki 2898 AD – Rs 287 crore
  • Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire – Rs 218 crore
  • Devara: Part 1 – Rs 220 crore
  • Saaho – Rs 152 crore
  • Adipurush – Rs 133 crore
  • Pushpa: The Rise – Rs 136.43 crore (Telugu)
  • They Call Him OG – Rs 145.11 crore (Telugu)

Audience response and industry buzz

The strong performance of They Call Him OG has brought cheer to Pawan Kalyan’s fans, who had been awaiting a box-office revival from the star. The combination of Sujeeth’s action-packed direction, Emraan Hashmi’s role as the antagonist, and Kalyan’s enduring mass appeal has clicked with audiences, especially in the Telugu-speaking states.

Trade experts note that while the film has breached the Top 10, sustaining momentum in the coming weeks will be crucial if it is to challenge the collections of big-ticket blockbusters such as Baahubali 2 and RRR.

Conclusion

Pawan Kalyan’s They Call Him OG has not only redeemed his box-office standing but also achieved a landmark by surpassing Pushpa: The Rise to enter Telugu cinema’s all-time top 10. With Rs 148.75 crore already in its kitty, the film’s trajectory will now be closely watched to see whether it can climb further up the rankings and challenge the industry’s biggest blockbusters.