Hari Hara Veera Mallu: One of 2025’s biggest box office disasters

“Hari Hara Veera Mallu: Part 1 – Sword vs Spirit,” starring Pawan Kalyan, has been declared one of the biggest cinematic disasters of 2025, following a catastrophic performance at the box office and widespread criticism. Despite high expectations fueled by Kalyan’s star power and a grand promotional campaign, the film has failed to resonate with audiences, marking a significant setback for the Tollywood industry.

Directed by Krish Jagarlamudi and A.M. Jyothi Krishna, “Hari Hara Veera Mallu” was set against the backdrop of the 17th-century Mughal Empire, with Pawan Kalyan playing the titular role of a rebellious outlaw tasked with stealing the Koh-i-Noor diamond. The film, produced by A. Dayakar Rao under Mega Surya Productions with a reported budget of Rs 300 crore, boasted a stellar cast including Bobby Deol, Nidhhi Agerwal, Nargis Fakhri, and Sathyaraj, along with music by M.M. Keeravani.

However, the ambitious project, which faced multiple delays since its announcement in 2020, has crumbled under the weight of poor execution and negative word-of-mouth.

After Monday, it crashes

The film opened strongly on July 24, 2025, grossing Rs 34.75 crore on its first day, driven by Pawan Kalyan’s loyal fanbase and a festive atmosphere in Telugu states. However, the collections plummeted dramatically, with a 74.71% drop on day two, earning just Rs 8.79 crore, and only a marginal recovery to Rs 9.86 crore on day three. According to industry tracker Sacnilk, the film’s total net collection in India after three days, including premieres, stood at Rs 65.36 crore, recovering just 21.58% of its massive budget.

Globally, the film grossed approximately Rs 89.16 crore, far short of the breakeven target, with dismal performances in Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam markets. In North America, it earned a mere $1.02 million in two days against a breakeven target of $2.5 million, signaling heavy losses for distributors.

By Monday, the film’s collections fell below Rs1 crore in many theaters, with reports indicating that screenings in the UK and other international markets were canceled due to low turnout.

Critical and audience backlash

The film received mixed to negative reviews, with critics and audiences pointing to several flaws.

While Pawan Kalyan’s screen presence and the action sequences choreographed by Nick Powell, Ram-Laxman, and Peter Hein were praised, the film was criticized for its lackluster second half, poor visual effects, and underdeveloped characters. A review from Telugu Cinema called it “a tiresome watch.,” noting that “while Pawan Kalyan’s screen presence lends some gravitas, and sequences like the Charminar chase and the kusthi fight in the first half offer brief moments of interest, the remainder of the film turns out to be total disappointment due to tacky visual effects and poor direction.”

The decision to replace Krish Jagarlamudi with Jyothi Krishna as director mid-production was heavily criticized, with fans and analysts suggesting that changes to the original script diluted the film’s potential.

Corrections didn’t help!

In response to the poor reception, the makers attempted to salvage the film by trimming 10-15 minutes of poorly received CG scenes, releasing a re-edited version in theaters. However, this move failed to revive audience interest, with many theaters reporting deficits. As Hari Hara Veera Mallu limps toward an early end to its theatrical run, all eyes are on Pawan Kalyan’s next project, They Call Him OG, which is now burdened with the task of redeeming his box office reputation. The film’s failure has also raised concerns about the sequel, Hari Hara Veera Mallu: Part 2, with reports indicating that key scenes were already shot during production. However, given the financial and critical debacle of Part 1, the future of the franchise remains uncertain.