After days of legal battles and public backlash, The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond finally released in theatres on Friday. Produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah, the film opened to a slow start but witnessed a sharp jump in collections on its second day.
According to industry tracker Sacnilk, the film earned Rs 75 lakh on Day 1. On Saturday, however, it recorded a 520 percent growth, collecting Rs 4.65 crore. This takes its two-day domestic total to Rs 5.4 crore.
Occupancy Report: Night Shows Show Improvement
On Saturday, the film registered an overall Hindi occupancy of 12.20 percent. The morning shows saw 6.45 percent occupancy, afternoon shows 11.88 percent, evening shows 11.42 percent, while night shows peaked at 19.05 percent.
In Delhi-NCR, the film had 806 shows with an average occupancy of 10.25 percent. Mumbai reported 770 shows, with theatre occupancy at 14.75 percent.
The noticeable rise in night show occupancy indicates improving footfall as word of mouth spreads, although the overall numbers remain modest.
Comparison With the First Installment
The collections are significantly lower compared to The Kerala Story, which released in 2023. The first film opened at Rs 8.03 crore and collected Rs 11 crore on Day 2. Despite widespread controversy and political debate, it went on to record a global lifetime gross of Rs 302 crore.
The sequel, however, has not yet matched the strong opening momentum of the original.
Legal Hurdles Before Release
Before hitting theatres, The Kerala Story 2 faced legal challenges in Kerala. A petitioner sought a stay on the film’s release. Initially, a single bench ordered a two-week stay and directed the Central Board of Film Certification to review the certificate issued to the film.
However, a Division Bench of the Kerala High Court later lifted the interim stay after an appeal was filed by producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah. This cleared the way for the film’s theatrical release.
Meanwhile, activists from the Democratic Youth Federation of India staged protests in parts of Kerala, alleging that the film portrays the state negatively. Reports suggest that some screenings in Kochi, Kozhikode, and Kottayam were cancelled.
Cast and Crew
Directed by Kamakhya Narayan Singh and produced by Sunshine Pictures, the film stars Ulka Gupta, Aditi Bhatia, Aishwarya Ojha, Sumit Gahlawat, and Arjan Singh Aujla in key roles.
Early Trend: Can It Sustain the Growth?
The strong percentage jump on Day 2 is a positive sign, but the real test will be Sunday collections and weekday hold. Given the performance of the first film, expectations remain high, but the sequel’s trajectory will depend heavily on audience reception and continued screen count stability.
For now, The Kerala Story 2 has shown momentum after a quiet opening. Whether it can replicate the long-term success of its predecessor remains to be seen.
