They Call Him OG Breaks Records With ₹50 Cr Bookings

New Delhi, September 23: The run-up to Pawan Kalyan’s “They Call Him OG” hasn’t felt like the build-up to a film release. It is closer to an election rally, or maybe even a religious festival. The numbers back that up, but the mood on the ground is what is truly striking.

Money Talking, Fans Shouting

The trade chatter is deafening. Bookings have already crossed ₹50 crore worldwide for day one. That is not just hype. It is the kind of figure that would make even seasoned distributors blink. Predictions are already daring to cross the ₹100 crore opening mark, something Kalyan has never achieved before.

Box office math only tells half the story. The other half is visible in small towns where fans stay up late at night, trying to grab tickets that vanish in seconds. It is visible in Telangana, where the government has allowed ticket hikes, with single screens charging ₹100 extra and multiplexes charging ₹150 more. Fans do not seem to mind. They just want in.

The Ticket Worth A Fortune

The anecdote that cut through all the noise came from Lakkaram village in Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri district. A fan named Amudala Paramesh paid ₹1,29,999 for a single ticket to the 1 AM benefit show on September 25. The base price was only ₹800.

This was never about getting a better seat. It was about loyalty, spectacle, and bragging rights. In Telugu cinema, benefit shows at midnight are carnivals. This number proves how far some fans will go to show their devotion.

A Rain-Soaked Rally At LB Stadium

Hyderabad’s LB Stadium was a sight two nights ago. Heavy rain did not stop 40,000 people from pouring in for the pre-release event. The most talked-about moment of the night was not a song or a speech. It was Kalyan’s dramatic entrance carrying a sword.

He swung it for effect and came dangerously close to clipping his own bodyguard. That second is now immortalized online in clips and memes. What could have been a minor accident turned into yet another viral story feeding the “OG” machine.

A Leak That Worked Like PR

Minutes after the trailer was shown at the event, phone recordings were all over social media. In most cases, such leaks are a nightmare for producers. This time it worked differently.

Fans who could not make it to Hyderabad spread the clips aggressively. Hashtags like #TheyCallHimOG shot up the charts. The grainy videos teased exactly what people wanted to see Kalyan in full action mode, a looming face-off with Emraan Hashmi, and the larger-than-life scale that Telugu cinema is now known for. Instead of hurting anticipation, the leak only added more fire.

More Than Just Another Release

For director Sujeeth, “OG” is a chance to prove himself after “Saaho.” For Emraan Hashmi, it marks a Telugu debut that will be watched closely. For DVV Entertainment, the studio behind “RRR,” it is another big gamble. But for Pawan Kalyan, the stakes are personal.

The actor-politician has one foot in cinema and another in Andhra Pradesh politics through his Jana Sena Party. Every film he does is weighed both as entertainment and as a reflection of his larger persona. A blockbuster here would not only lift his film career but also strengthen his standing with supporters and rivals in politics.

Telugu Cinema’s Bigger Ambition

There is a wider context to this frenzy. Telugu cinema no longer plays only to Telugu audiences. After “Baahubali” and “RRR”, the industry has gone national and international. “OG” is clearly aiming for that space, with Bollywood’s Emraan Hashmi on board and aggressive overseas premieres lined up.

The ambition is huge, but so is the risk. Budgets are climbing, and not every mega-project has managed to justify its scale. If “OG” hits, it will cement Telugu cinema’s current dominance. If it stumbles, it will spark debates on whether this model of spectacle-driven filmmaking can hold.

All Eyes On Thursday

The wait is nearly over. Benefit shows across Andhra and Telangana are sold out. Overseas premieres in the Gulf and the US are filling up fast. Social media is already behaving like release day has arrived.

Whether “They Call Him OG” becomes the film that defines Pawan Kalyan’s career or just another flashy big-budget entry will be clear soon. For now, the frenzy is real, the stakes are high, and September 25 is circled on every fan’s calendar.

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Ayesha Khan

Entertainment Correspondent – Ayesha@hindustanherald.in – Web

Covers films, television, streaming, and celebrity culture with a focus on storytelling trends.

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