Akshay Kumar and Priyadarshan are back, and the box office is already feeling the “Hera Pheri” magic! After a long wait, the duo’s latest fantasy horror-comedy, Bhooth Bangla, has finally hit the screens. While the industry was skeptical about how it would fare against the ongoing Dhurandhar 2 storm, the final advance booking reports suggest that Khiladi Kumar is ready to reclaim his throne with a massive 246% jump in the final 24 hours.
Day 1 Pre-Sales)
- Total Advance Booking (Gross): ₹3.32 Cr (Excluding blocked seats)
- Total Tickets Sold: 1.29 Lakhs
- Final 24-Hour Jump: 246%
- Total Shows Nationwide: 12.7K
- Paid Previews (Net): ₹3.75 Cr
- Morning Occupancy (Day 1): 10.02%
- Best Performing Market: Maharashtra (₹72.84 Lakhs)
- 2026 Ranking (Pre-sales): #3 (Bollywood)
📝 THE KHILADI COMES HOME
The reunion of Akshay Kumar and Priyadarshan after 16 years isn’t just a movie; for 90s kids, it’s an emotion. Bhooth Bangla has managed to tap into that nostalgia perfectly. The film saw a slow start when bookings opened, but as soon as the early reviews from paid previews dropped, the momentum shifted gears.
A 246% surge in ticket sales on the final day is no small feat, especially with a behemoth like Dhurandhar 2 still occupying significant screen space. The horror-comedy genre, which has been a goldmine for Bollywood recently (thanks to the Stree universe), seems to be working its charm again. With 12,700 shows allotted, the film has a massive platform to convert this buzz into a double-digit opening day.
📊 COMPARISON & RANKINGS
Akshay Kumar’s Top 10 Post-COVID Pre-sales (Gross):
- Housefull 5: ₹8.02 Cr
- Sooryavanshi: ₹5.35 Cr
- Bade Miyan Chote Miyan: ₹4.85 Cr
- Samrat Prithviraj: ₹4.68 Cr
- Sky Force: ₹3.82 Cr
- OMG 2: ₹3.50 Cr
- Bhooth Bangla: ₹3.32 Cr
- Bachchhan Paandey: ₹3.19 Cr
- Ram Setu: ₹2.32 Cr
- Raksha Bandhan: ₹1.93 Cr
Top 5 Bollywood Advance Bookings of 2026:
| Rank | Movie | Collection (Gross) |
| #1 | Dhurandhar 2 | ₹53.00 Cr |
| #2 | Border 2 | ₹12.50 Cr |
| #3 | Bhooth Bangla | ₹3.32 Cr |
| #4 | O’Romeo | ₹3.07 Cr |
| #5 | Mardaani 3 | ₹1.16 Cr |
🎬 THE VERDICT
The “Morning Occupancy” of 10.02% is a solid foundation for a working Friday. While it stays neck-to-neck with Akshay’s previous 2025 releases like Sky Force and Jolly LLB 3, the real test begins with the evening shows. If the family audience walks in as expected, Bhooth Bangla isn’t just looking at a “good” start—it’s looking at a hauntingly successful run!
ALSO READ | Dhurandhar 2 Box Office Collection Day 26: Fourth Monday Report Card Of Ranveer Singh Film
