'Ustaad Bhagat Singh' box office collection day 3: Pawan Kalyan film nears ₹53 crore in 3 days

Ustaad Bhagat Singh, the Telugu action drama starring Pawan Kalyan and directed by Harish Shankar, is holding steady at the box office, with its opening weekend pushing the film close to the ₹53 crore mark in India.

On its third day, the film collected ₹9.15 crore, according to Sacnilk, taking its three-day India net total to ₹52.90 crore.

The film opened strongly on Thursday with ₹34.75 crore, supported by the Ugadi festive release and strong fan turnout. However, collections dropped sharply on Friday to ₹9 crore, with occupancy falling from 69% to 36%, indicating a front-loaded opening.

Saturday’s numbers show a mild recovery, with collections rising slightly to ₹9.15 crore, while occupancy remained at 36% across 3,340 shows. Trade trends suggest the film is beginning to stabilise in mass circuits and single screens, where Pawan Kalyan’s core audience continues to drive footfall.

The opening weekend performance has also been aided by the festive release window and strong on-ground fan activity, with videos from theatres showing audiences celebrating songs and key moments.

Globally, the film has crossed ₹70 crore within three days, pointing to steady traction across domestic and overseas markets despite competition and mixed reviews.

Clash with Dhurandhar 2

Despite the decent start, the film faced strong competition from Ranveer Singh's Dhurandhar 2, which released on the same day and captured a significant share of screens in key markets. The clash is believed to have impacted occupancy, particularly outside core Telugu regions and in overseas territories.

Weekdays challenge

The film, reportedly made on a large-scale budget of around ₹150 crore, now faces a crucial test during the weekdays, where sustained collections will determine its longer-term box office trajectory.

Released on March 19, 2026, the film follows a tribal boy raised on strong principles, who grows up to confront injustice and corruption. It also marks the reunion of Pawan Kalyan and Harish Shankar after more than a decade, a factor that contributed significantly to the pre-release buzz.

The film features Pawan Kalyan alongside Raashii Khanna, Sreeleela, Nawab Shah, Gautami, Ashutosh Rana, Pankaj Tripathi and Parthiban.