Pawan Kalyan’s latest action-packed gangster drama 'They Call Him OG' has taken the box office by storm, setting new benchmarks for Telugu cinema and beyond. According to a report by Koimoi, the film collected a massive ₹91 crore net at the Indian box office on its opening day, including ₹20.25 crore from paid premieres held on Thursday. The Sujeeth directorial released on September 25, with early premieres on September 24, and quickly emerged as the number one Indian opener of 2025. India Today further reported that the worldwide gross crossed the ₹100 crore mark within its first 24 hours, thanks to strong domestic and overseas performance.
Seventh biggest Indian opener of all time
As highlighted by Koimoi, They Call Him OG now ranks as one of the biggest opening films in Indian cinema history. It surpassed big releases such as Adipurush, Saaho, and Devara, landing just behind blockbusters like Pushpa 2, RRR, and Baahubali 2. Even without counting the paid previews, the film comfortably beat this year’s previous record-holder Coolie, which had opened at ₹65 crore.
Pawan Kalyan sets a new personal record
This phenomenal start marks Pawan Kalyan’s biggest career opening. Earlier in 2025, his film Hari Hara Veera Mallu earned ₹47.5 crore on day one, a figure now dwarfed by "They Call Him OG". Directed by Sujeeth and produced by DVV Danayya, the film stars Kalyan as Ojas Gambheera, battling crime lord Omi Bhau, played by Emraan Hashmi. With glowing fan reviews and strong word-of-mouth, trade analysts expect the film to dominate the box office in the coming weeks before facing competition from upcoming releases like Dhanush’s Idli Kadai and Rishab Shetty’s Kantara: Chapter 1. Watch the trailer.
