Ajay Devgn’s Drishyam 3 followed its record Friday with an estimated Rs. 50-51 crore on Saturday, keeping the thriller in blockbuster territory despite the expected second-day dip. Early estimates show the Abhishek Pathak directorial holding strongly across multiplexes and single screens.
The Saturday hold
The Rs. 62.03 crore Friday set a high base. A Day 2 estimate in the Rs. 50-51 crore range implies a Friday-to-Saturday hold of roughly 80-82%. For a film opening at this scale, that is a retention signal rather than a crash. The occupancy spread across national chains and single screens means this is not an urban-only event.
National chains PVRInox and Cinepolis continued to contribute heavily. The two-day total now stands at approximately Rs. 112-113 crore, an early result that puts the film firmly in the blockbuster zone.
The Sunday checkpoint
The real test is whether Sunday builds on Saturday. If the film grows as expected, the opening weekend should sail past Rs. 165 crore, with an outside chance of going higher on Sunday momentum. Udta Teer moving to October 23 has cleared the immediate runway and should help the film consolidate over the weekdays.
What it means for the business
For media planners and entertainment marketers, this is a franchise-equity case study. Drishyam 3 is not relying only on opening-day hype; the second-day hold suggests word-of-mouth and audience acceptance are carrying the title. Audience reports remain positive, and the film has emerged as a theatrical juggernaut. The early numbers also signal that the third instalment has cemented the series as one of Indian cinema’s most successful franchises.
A two-day total around Rs. 112-113 crore resets expectations for the rest of the run. Trade attention will shift from whether the opening was record-breaking to how the first Monday holds. For advertisers eyeing in-cinema audiences, a film holding at this level through Saturday means campaigns are reaching a larger and more sustained audience than an opening-day spike alone would indicate.
- Friday: Rs. 62.03 crore
- Saturday estimate: Rs. 50-51 crore
- Two-day total: approx Rs. 112-113 crore
- Opening weekend target: past Rs. 165 crore
- Next competitive release: Udta Teer on October 23
The number to watch
Sunday is the confirmation point. A jump would put Drishyam 3 on track for Ajay Devgn’s biggest blockbuster. A flat Sunday would still leave the film with an excellent weekend. Because the Saturday number is a very early estimate, the band may move when actuals arrive; what matters now is the direction.
Source: bollywoodHungama.com
