Dhanush's "Kara" has not been performing to the expected level at the domestic box office. On the third day, the net collection totalled just Rs 5.20 crore, marking a 25% drop from the previous day's (Day 2) Rs 6.95 crore earnings reported by box office portal Sacnilk.
As of now, the India-only gross total earnings stand at Rs 21.22 crore, while net collection is at Rs 18.35 crore. Combining the total overseas collection of Rs 7.65 crore, the Dhanush-starrer's worldwide box office collection stands at Rs 28.87 crore.
While this indicates steady performance, the drop on Saturday isn't seen as a positive sign when considering the film's reported budget of Rs 100 crore. For such a film, it needs to do better in terms of daily and weekend earnings to become profitable.
The Tamil version remains the primary driver of revenue, while the Telugu version has seen lower traction. The overseas earnings have contributed significantly to the film's total. As per trade analysts, a significant jump in earnings on Sunday (Day 4) and sustaining that momentum in the coming days could benefit the film.
But if it continues to register lower numbers as it did on Saturday, it would mean a challenging theatrical run ahead. While the worldwide gross of Rs 28.87 crore over three days is respectable for mid-range films, it is underwhelming for a high-budget project, led by Dhanush, who has always been a major box office draw, always registering healthy opening day figures.
With only Rs 18.35 crore in India-only net earnings so far, it has recovered less than 20% of its costs in its opening weekend. The film needs a lifetime India net of Rs 200 crore to be declared a hit, a target that now seems mathematically unlikely given the current trajectory.
Though this drop on Saturday is unusual for a major star's film, its performance mirrors several recent trends. Dhanush's recent film "Kuberaa" also faced high expectations but struggled with longevity. While it opened much stronger (Rs 14 crore net on Day 1), it ended with a lifetime total of roughly Rs 138 crore, barely covering its large budget.
His last release, "Idli Kadai", had a similar 'grounded' opening but built momentum through steady engagement rather than an explosive start. However, it was ultimately considered a "losing affair" despite earning Rs 50 crore in India.
Recent examples of other big-budget Tamil films underperforming include "Parasakthi", another high-budget 2026 release (Rs 150 crore) that opened with reportedly Rs 24.70 crore worldwide but failed to sustain and eventually was declared a "Disaster" by trade sources after its run stalled at Rs 84 crore.
For "Kara", which comes from "Por Thozhil" director Vignesh Raja, the best hope now lies in its overseas performance, which has contributed nearly 26% of its total gross so far (Rs 7.65 crore out of Rs 28.87 crore).
Dhanush's co-stars include Mamitha Baiju, Jayaram, Suraj Venjaramoodu, KS Ravikumar and others.
