Now Reading: Khalifa enters top 5 Mollywood openings of 2026
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Khalifa enters top 5 Mollywood openings of 2026
Prithviraj Sukumaran's 'Khalifa: The Ruler' earned Rs 12.31 crore worldwide on its opening day, August 20, entering the top five biggest opening-day collections in Mollywood for 2026, reports Koimoi. The film's India…
Prithviraj Sukumaran's 'Khalifa: The Ruler' earned Rs 12.31 crore worldwide on its opening day, August 20, entering the top five biggest opening-day collections in Mollywood for 2026, reports Koimoi. The film's India net collection stands at Rs 5.53 crore, with Rs 6.31 crore gross in India and Rs 6 crore overseas.
NDTV Profit reports the film released during Onam and expects better occupancy in coming days due to holidays and star cast. Koimoi notes the film enjoyed a solo release after Dulquer Salmaan's 'I'm Game' dropped out of the Onam race, and features cameos by Mohanlal and Tovino Thomas.
The film beat 'Vaazha 2' (Rs 10.36 crore) to enter the top five. The list is led by 'Drishyam 3' at Rs 43.70 crore. This is Prithviraj's second-highest opening day of his career. 'Khalifa' is directed by Vysakh, marking their reunion since 'Pokkiri Raja' (2010).
Indian Opinion Analysis
Both sources report similar numbers but differ in framing. Koimoi leans sensationalist, emphasising the film's entry into a 'top 5' list and the 'secret' Mohanlal cameo as a highlight, while NDTV Profit gives a neutral, straightforward report of the opening and expectations. The measured takeaway: 'Khalifa' had a strong start, but with Rs 12.31 crore worldwide it still trails the year's top opener by over Rs 31 crore. The real test is whether Onam holiday holds boost its second-day numbers significantly.
Coverage: 2 sources, 1 neutral, 1 sensationalist
Sources (2): ndtvprofit.com (neutral report), koimoi.com (sensationalist)
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
