YouTuber-turned-filmmaker Curry Barker is now being seen as a major game-changer similar to the likes of Oren Peli and Jordan Peele when it comes to the horror genre, for delivering a once-in-a-blue-moon kind of phenomenon. After grossing $108.8 million worldwide against its modest $750,000 to $1 million production budget, the film is doing wonders at the Indian box office after just two days of theatrical run.
The film debuted strongly in India with a Rs 2 crore opening day (including previews) and is projected to conclude its first Indian weekend at around Rs 6-7 crore. Distributed locally by Universal Pictures, "Obsession" opened on May 29, 2026.
Its excellent opening weekend collection, for a non-franchise entry, is the highest for a horror film after "The Conjuring: Last Rites", "The Conjuring 2" and "Lee Cronin's The Mummy". What "Obsession" achieved is even more impressive because it doesn't have the advantage of a pre-established hype normally associated with a popular franchise/IP.
In India, the film registered a noticeable growth from Friday to Saturday, with show occupancy leaping from 34% to 48% as social media hype expanded its footprint in major metropolitan hubs.
In the U.S., the film debuted at $17.2 million and broke historical trends for wide-release horror movies. It then witnessed a 39.4% increase in its second weekend, bringing in $23.9 million. The four-day Memorial Day window also worked to its advantage, helping it secure $32 million.
"Obsession" now holds the record for the largest second-weekend spike in modern times for a film playing in over 2,500 theatres outside the Christmas holiday window.
When looking at its Return on Investment (ROI), "Obsession" is now part of a legendary, ultra-exclusive group of micro-budget films that reached nine figures at a rapid pace. Only a tiny handful of sub-million-dollar independent features have ever pulled this off. "Paranormal Activity" (2007), "The Blair Witch Project" (1999), "Saw" (2004), and "Get Out" (2017) are the others.
