Talk about sleeper success! The biggest surprise winner of this year's Onam period is none other than Dinjith Ayyathan's brilliant Kishkindha Kaandam. Praised by fans and critics as one of the best Malayalam movies of 2024, if not THE BEST, Kishkindha Kaandam has taken off to a slow start at the box office. As per reports, the movie had only earned INR 0.45 crore in India on its first day. ‘KishKindha Kaandam’ Movie Review: Asif Ali and Vijayaraghavan’s Brilliant Performances and a Layered Mystery Make for a Spectacular Combo!

However, thanks to highly positive reviews and strong audience response, Kishkindha Kaandam has grown considerably over the days. Releasing on September 12, Kishkindha Kaandam has now completed 12 days in theatres, and according to the latest box office update, the movie has grossed an impressive INR 50 crore worldwide. This, too, after facing tough competition from Tovino Thomas' ARM, aka Ajayante Randam Moshanam, easily the biggest of the Onam 2024 movie releases.

Watch the Trailer of 'Kishkindha Kaandam':

The Budget of 'Kishkindha Kaandam'

According to reports, Kishkindha Kaandam is made on a budget of INR 5 crore-INR 7 crore. Even if we consider the upper limit of INR 7 crore as its budget, the movie has performed exceedingly well at the box office. What's more, Kishkindha Kaandam is continuing to draw audiences over the days, even when it is in its second week. ‘Kishkindha Kaandam’ Ending Explained: Exploring the Heartbreaking Climax of Asif Ali, Vijayaraghavan and Aparna Balamurali’s Malayalam Movie.

While Kondal and Bad Boyz - two of the four Onam releases - were box office flops, ARM had earned INR 87 crore (producer's figures) from a budget of INR 30 crore. The profit margin for the movie, if we consider only gross earnings, would turn out to be 65.5%. At the same time, Kishkindha Kaandam showed a better profit margin at 86%.

Kishkindha Kaandam is a slow-burn investigative drama that also stars Aparna Balamurali, Vijayaraghavan, Jagadish, Nishan, Ashokan, and Nizhagal Ravi, among others. Scripted by Bahul Ramesh, the movie was praised for its screenplay, performances and direction, while the revelatory third act being the most noted feature of the movie. Interestingly, Asif Ali and Aparna Balamurali also starred in 2018, one of the biggest hits in Malayalam cinema, which also had ARM star Tovino Thomas among the leads.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 24, 2024 04:02 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).