Hyderabad: 

Megastar Mohanlal's upcoming action movie L2: Empuraan has set a new record for Malayalam cinema, becoming the first film in the industry to sell over 1 million advance tickets on the online ticketing platform BookMyShow. With only one day until its official release on March 27, the film's pre-release performance has already broken many records, and it is on track to deliver one of the largest openings in Malayalam cinema history.

Opening Weekend Predictions

According to industry analysts, L2: Empuraan's global pre-sales for the opening weekend have already exceeded Rs 60 crore gross, with projections suggesting it could finish the weekend with over Rs 70 crore gross worldwide. This would not only make it the biggest opening for a Malayalam movie but also position it among the highest-grossing Indian films of 2024.

The film's box office potential is enhanced by its multilingual release strategy. L2: Empuraan will be released in Malayalam, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada simultaneously, boosting its reach throughout India and crucial overseas markets.

Advance Booking Figures

Advance ticket sales for L2: Empuraan began on March 21, and the response has been phenomenal. Industry tracker Sacnilk reported that the film sold 628,000 tickets via BookMyShow on the first day alone. The film's ticket sales kept rolling with 163,000 tickets sold on Day 2, 110,000 tickets sold on Day 3, and continuing over 100,000 tickets on Day 4.

Approximately 70-80% of these ticket sales came from Kerala, the home state of Mohanlal, who has one of the largest fan followings. Empuraan sold approximately Rs 15 crore gross tickets across India on Day 1, with around Rs 10 crore gross coming from Kerala.

The film has already surpassed all existing pre-sales and opening-day records for a Mollywood release. Industry insiders predict that Empuraan is on track to gross over Rs 50 crore on its opening day worldwide and could cross Rs 100 crore during its opening weekend.

Release Date and Screening Details

The film is slated for a grand worldwide release on March 27, 2024 (Thursday). Early morning screenings will begin at 6:00 am in Indian states that permit pre-dawn shows, including Kerala.

The release date almost exactly coincides with the sixth anniversary of Lucifer, which hit the silver screens on March 28, 2019. Jointly produced by Antony Perumbavoor and Gokulam Gopalan under the banners Aashirvad Cinemas Pvt Ltd and Sree Gokulam Movies, L2: Empuraan aims to redefine box office standards for Malayalam cinema.

A Sequel Fueling Massive Hype

The excitement surrounding L2: Empuraan is not just due to Mohanlal's immense star power or the film's grand promotional campaign. A major factor driving the buzz is that the movie is the second installment in a planned trilogy that began with Lucifer (2019) - Prithviraj Sukumaran’s blockbuster debut.

Lucifer, which introduced audiences to Stephen Nedumpally, a politician operating under the alias Khureshi-Ab'raam in the world of organised crime, became one of the highest-grossing Malayalam films of all time. With Prithviraj returning to the director's chair for L2: Empuraan, fans have eagerly awaited the next chapter in the saga.

Can L2: Empuraan Break More Records?

With its record-breaking advance bookings, L2: Empuraan is already guaranteed to deliver the biggest opening weekend for a Malayalam film. Industry experts predict that the movie will easily cross Rs 40 crore on its first day worldwide.

In Kerala, the benchmark for the highest opening-day collection currently belongs to Leo (2023) - director Lokesh Kanagaraj's action thriller starring Vijay, which earned Rs 12 crore on its first day. While modest estimates suggest that the Kerala collection of Empuraan will fall in the range of Rs 8-10 crores, certain analysts suggest the possibility of beating the numbers for Leo.

As the release date approaches, excitement is reaching a fever pitch. As Mohanlal reprises his legendary character and Prithviraj Sukumaran brings forth the sequel everyone has been waiting for, all are waiting to see if L2: Empuraan will redefine the success of Malayalam cinema.

Ticket Prices and Audience Demand

The exceptional demand for the film is visible through ticket prices in major cities. In Kochi, the price of a normal multiplex ticket is between Rs 200 and Rs 400 while a premium recliner ticket is up to Rs 800. PVR LUXE, which is an ultra premium screen, has tickets at Rs 1,400, while IMAX 2D has sold out tickets at Rs 800 to Rs 1,000.

In single-screen theatres, on the other hand, ticket prices are at more affordable prices, from Rs 100 to Rs 250. Other cities of Bengaluru and Delhi-NCR are seeing Malayalam version prices over Rs 500, while the prices are moderate in Chennai, Hyderabad, and Mumbai.

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