Natural Star Nani has struck gold at the box office once again with his latest release, HIT: The Third Case, which has crossed the Rs 40 crore mark in just three days. This impressive feat reaffirms his strong connection with audiences and his growing stature as one of Telugu cinema’s most bankable stars.
The film, which opened to much anticipation on May 1, 2025, registered a remarkable Rs 21 crore on its opening day. The lion’s share of this came from the Telugu version, contributing Rs 20.25 crore, while the Tamil, Kannada, Hindi, and Malayalam versions added modestly to the total. This opening day figure reflected Nani's solid fan base and the pre-release hype surrounding the project.
However, like most mid-week releases, the film witnessed a natural drop on its second day, collecting Rs 10.5 crore on Friday, May 2, marking a 50% dip from its opening. Despite this, the numbers remained steady and respectable, especially considering it was a working day. Once again, the Telugu version dominated collections, bringing in Rs 10 crore, with other versions maintaining their minor shares.
Saturday saw a slight improvement in occupancy and collections, as early estimates suggested a Rs 8.57 crore haul. With positive word-of-mouth from audiences and favorable reviews highlighting Nani's performance and the film's emotional depth, HIT 3 has managed to maintain steady momentum over its first weekend. In total, the film has amassed Rs 40.07 crore across three days, a commendable feat in the current competitive box office climate.
Analysts predict that the film could comfortably breach the Rs 60 crore mark in its first week, especially with Sunday and the upcoming week expected to see further growth, particularly in urban and family-centric circuits. The film has outperformed Nani’s last release, Sarripoda Sanivaram, which earned Rs 24 crore in three days.
HIT: The Third Case, directed by Dr. Sailesh Kolanu, features Srinidhi Shetty of KGF fame and guest appearances by Adivi Sesh. The film is the third installment in the crime thriller franchise, which has gained a loyal following.
The brand Nani is getting bigger and better with each movie. Thanks to his success streak over the years, Nani has emerged as the most bankable Tollywood star in North America. His latest release has already surpassed the $1.5 million milestone, becoming the Natural Star’s 11th $1 million movie in the region. With HIT 3 entering the $1M club, Nani has emerged as the only Tollywood actor to deliver as many as eleven $1 million movies in North America after the one and only Mahesh Babu.
In fact, HIT 3 is Nani's fourth $1.5M grosser in a row, making him the fifth Tollywood actor to achieve this feat, alongside Mahesh Babu, Prabhas, Allu Arjun, and NTR. Despite working under debutants or medium-range directors, Nani’s knack for spotting fresh and unique scripts with universal appeal is a key reason behind his undisputed success rate.
As for the film's performance, HIT 3 opened strongly with an India net collection of Rs 21 crore, led predominantly by the Telugu version. However, collections dropped significantly on Day 2, falling by over 52% to Rs 10 crore, with Telugu continuing to dominate. The downward trend continued on Day 3, with earnings dipping further to Rs 8.57 crore, bringing the film’s total India net collection to Rs 40.07 crore by the end of its third day.
On the other hand, Retro, starring Suriya, also released on May 1, and while it had a stronger opening day, it has struggled to keep pace with Nani’s film. Retro opened to a modest Rs 19 crore but saw a significant drop the following day, raking in only Rs 7.75 crore on Friday and Rs 6.49 crore on Saturday, bringing its three-day total to Rs 33.49 crore.
Despite the competition, HIT 3 continues to maintain a grip in the Telugu circuit, boasting an overall 49.78% occupancy among its audience. The film's occupancy among Tamil viewers has also increased, witnessing an overall 33.65% turnout in theatres. Key cities like Chennai, Vizag-Visakhapatnam, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru are leading with the highest number of screenings for HIT 3.
The film has received mixed-to-positive reviews, with critics praising Nani’s performance and the film's engaging storyline. An excerpt from a review states, "HIT: The Third Case shines when it comes to Nani’s performance and the super-fun cameos." The movie's narrative has resonated well with audiences, contributing to its box office success.
In summary, HIT: The Third Case has not only proven to be a commercial success but also reinforced Nani's position as a leading star in Telugu cinema. With a solid lineup of movies on the horizon, his box office potential is expected to increase multifold. As the film continues to perform well, it sets a strong precedent for future releases in the ever-competitive landscape of Tollywood.
