Abhishek Nama's ambitious mythological fantasy, Nagabandham, witnessed a notable surge in collections on its first Sunday, Day 3. The film, starring Virat Karrna and Nabha Natesh, collected approximately Rs 3.65 crore net across India, according to early trade estimates.
This marks a healthy jump from its Day 2 collection of Rs 1.64 crore, indicating that the film has benefited from the weekend momentum. The film's total India net collection now stands at Rs 8.94 crore after three days, with a gross collection of Rs 10.45 crore. The film maintained an overall occupancy of 24.4% on Day 3, with around 3,030 shows across the country.
State-wise, the film's performance remained consistent, with Andhra Pradesh and Telangana contributing Rs 2.50 crore gross on Day 3, followed by Karnataka with Rs 0.40 crore, Tamil Nadu with Rs 0.15 crore, and the rest of India contributing Rs 0.43 crore. The film's total gross collection across major markets now stands at Rs 7.44 crore. However, the Hindi dubbed version has struggled to find an audience, with first week collections reported at just Rs 2.00 crore.
Directed by Abhishek Nama, who also penned the story and screenplay, Nagabandham is produced by Kishore Annapureddy and Nishitha Nagireddy under the banners of NIK Studios and Abhishek Pictures. The film features an ensemble cast including Virat Karrna as the lead protagonist, Nabha Natesh and Iswarya Menon as the female leads, with Jagapathi Babu, Mahesh Manjrekar, Murali Sharma, and Rishabh Sawhney playing pivotal roles. The cinematography is handled by Soundar Rajan S, with editing by RC Pranav.
The film, which blends mythology, fantasy and adventure, revolves around a sacred treasure connected to Lord Anantha Padmanabha Swamy hidden in the Himalayas. However, it received mixed to negative reviews from critics, who praised the visual spectacle but criticized the lack of substance in the storytelling. Despite the critical response, the film's pre-release business has been strong, with producers recovering 80% of the Rs 100 crore budget through satellite, digital, and audio rights.
With the opening weekend now concluded, trade analysts note that the film's performance remains underwhelming given its massive budget of around Rs 100-130 crore. The film's ability to sustain momentum in the coming weekdays will be crucial in determining its final verdict at the box office.