Naga Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi’s ‘Thandel,’ directed by Chandoo Mondeti, continued its positive momentum at the box office through its first weekend, which was released on Friday, February 7, 2025.
According to a report by Sacnilk, the movie on Sunday collected Rs 12.25 crore which is on its first Sunday. The movie minted Rs 11.25 crore on its first Friday, and the film’s positive momentum continued into the second day collecting Rs 12.1 crore on Day 2 which brings to a total of Rs 35.85 crore.
‘Thandel’ has been particularly strong in the Telugu-speaking regions. The Telugu version had an overall 62.07% occupancy on Sunday, February 09, 2025, with the occupancy rate for the different times of the day being, Morning Shows at 43.71, Afternoon Shows at 67.79%, Evening Shows at 75.28% and Night Shows at 61.49%.While ‘Thandel’ is based on true events involving fishermen from Srikakulam, the film’s positive numbers have been attributed to the on-screen relationship between lead actors Naga Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi. Devi Sri Prasad’s music has also been a point of praise for the film.
The film’s plot surrounds a fisherman named Raju played by Naga Chaitanya as he becomes the captain of a fishing vessel. Sai Pallavi plays his lover, Satya, who affectionately refers to him as “bujji thalli”. The film then takes a dramatic turn when they find themselves in Pakistani waters. Though reviews have praised the lead actors, some have found issues with the film’s story and pacing.
On its release date, ‘Thandel’ collected an estimated Rs 10 crore net across India, grossing over Rs 27 crore worldwide. At the end of its second day, the makers announced that the film collected over Rs 41.20 crore worldwide.
