'Shaakuntalam' box office: Stable start for Samantha-Dev Mohan starrer
Gunasekhar's mythological drama Shaakuntalam, starring Samantha Ruth Prabhu in the titular role along with Malayalam star Dev Mohan, was released in the theaters on Friday. Receiving mixed responses from the audience and critics alike, the film didn't reportedly open to huge crowds but made a decent earning at the box office. Take a look at the title's first-day performance at the ticket window.
Why does this story matter?
Shaakuntalam is the second pan-India release for Ruth Prabhu after her 2022 action thriller Yashoda. Based on Kalidasa's Abhijnanashakuntalam, the film depicts the love story of Shakuntala and the Puru dynasty's king Dushyant. The magnum opus, co-produced by Dil Raju, is reportedly made on a budget of Rs. 60-80 crore, with a lot of work put into VFX and CGI.
'Shaakuntalam' earns better than 'Yashoda'
Ruth Prabhu's last release Yashoda collected Rs. 3 crore on the first day. Shaakuntalam, on the other hand, earned Rs. 5 crore, said a report by industry tracker Sacnilk. Performing better than Yashoda, the film's opening figures are considered to be a decent start for the film, with the future looking promising. It is expected that the numbers will increase further over the weekend.
'Shaakuntalam' gets maximum occupancy in Telugu states
Originally made in Telugu, the multi-lingual movie got the majority of business from the Telugu-speaking states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, with a 32.6% occupancy. Speaking of its overall occupancy throughout the day in the theaters, the morning shows saw an occupancy of 29.48%, followed by 34.57% in the afternoon, 32.32% in the evening, and 34.01% for the night shows.
Everything to know about 'Shaakuntalam'
Besides Ruth Prabhu and Mohan, Shaakuntalam features an ensemble cast comprising Sachin Khedekar, Gautami, and Kabir Bedi. Mohan Babu and Madhoo were seen in cameos. Telugu superstar Allu Arjun's daughter Allu Arha also marked her acting debut as she played the role of young Bharat, son of Shankuntala and Dushyant. The film was released in multiple languages, including Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, and Hindi.
