Akshay Kumar's new horror-comedy enterprise with Priyadarshan has opened with decent numbers. As of April 18, 2026, "Bhooth Bangla" has comfortably outperformed the 2007 opening of their previous horror-comedy "Bhool Bhulaiyaa" — in terms of absolute numerical terms, that is, largely due to nearly two decades of inflation and expansion in the Indian film market.
As per box office tracker Sacnilk, "Bhooth Bangla" opened with net earnings of Rs 15.75 crore (Day 1 gross plus the Thursday preview show earnings of Rs 3.50 crore) compared to the Rs 3.88 crore of "Bhool Bhulaiyaa".
In terms of the total gross, "Bhooth Bangla" earned Rs 18.90 crore while "Bhool Bhulaiyaa" earned around Rs 5.40 crore.
In worldwide gross, "Bhooth Bangla" opened with Rs 23.90 crore. In comparison, "Bhool Bhulaiyya" opened with around Rs 6.20 crore.
These numbers also reflect the number of shows/screens in 2007 and 2026. The 2026 film is playing across 12,386 screens as opposed to the 500 screens of the former.
However, for a 2007 movie, the Rs 3.88 crore opening of "Bhool Bhulaiyaa" was considered massive, eventually reaching a lifetime worldwide gross of ₹Rs 82.35 crore. When adjusted for today's ticket prices and market reach, its debut would likely match or exceed the current numbers of "Bhooth Bangla".
The original "Bhool Bhulaiyaa" witnessed significant growth through strong word-of-mouth, whereas "Bhooth Bangla" opened with mixed reviews, putting more pressure on its opening weekend to maintain momentum. But it has the advantage of the enduring Akshay Kumar-Priyadarshan brand.
The duo's "Bhool Bhulaiyaa" was a cult classic that spawned a major franchise. Despite being perceived as an 'unofficial sequel', "Bhooth Bangla" is a standalone project, and its Rs 15 crore+ opening is indeed a significant win when compared to Akshay Kumar's recent track record.
"Bhooth Bangla" has also officially overtaken the opening day haul of Kartik Aryan's "Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2" (Rs 14.11 crore).
When compared to the opening day numbers of other recent standalone Hindi-language horror blockbusters, "Bhooth Bangla" has outperformed "Stree" (Rs 6.82 crore).
However, despite its strong start, the film remains far behind the record-breaking numbers of "Stree 2" (Rs 51.80 crore) and the other standalone Maddock Horror Comedy Universe film "Thamma" (Rs 24 crore).
"Bhooth Bangla" also opened lower than "Bhool Bhulaiyya 3" (Rs 35.50 crore). But we must keep in mind that sequels always benefit from the success and hype of their predecessors. Unlike "Stree 2" or "Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3", "Bhooth Bangla" is a fresh standalone film, making its Rs 15 crore+ start particularly notable for an original IP.
Notably, "Bhooth Bangala" marks Akshay Kumar's biggest opening day since "Sooryavanshi" and his second-best post-pandemic start after "Housefull 5".
The film opened across 12,386 shows nationwide with an overall Hindi occupancy of approximately 19% on its first Friday. The estimated budget for the film is approximately Rs 120 crore.
[Data is compiled from independent sources linked to distributors and theater owners. Estimated figures could have a correction in the following day(s) when revised figures are obtained. This website doesn't take responsibility for the authenticity of these numbers]