Cinema VinesOn Monday morning, September 7, the Malayalam romantic comedy Bethlehem Kudumba Unit surpassed the Kerala box‑office total of the earlier hit Thudarum. According to industry tracker AB George, the film had earned roughly ₹1.60 crore from more than 1,600 shows by 10 AM IST on its 18th day of release.
AB George posted the figure on X at about 10:30 AM, noting that the amount represented a tracked gross and that the final Monday total would be higher once the remaining shows were counted. He also confirmed that the film had already eclipsed Thudarum's reported Kerala gross of ₹118.90 crore.
With that milestone behind it, the next target for Bethlehem Kudumba Unit is the reported Kerala total of the thriller Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra, which stands at approximately ₹121.95 crore. AB George projected that the film would cross that benchmark by Tuesday or Wednesday, depending on how the rest of Day 18 and the following days perform.
The rivalry at the Kerala box office began with Thudarum, directed by Tharun Moorthy and starring Mohanlal and Shobana, which opened on April 25, 2025. Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra, directed by Dominic Arun and featuring Kalyani Priyadarshan and Naslen, hit screens on August 28, 2025. Bethlehem Kudumba Unit debuted on August 21, 2026 during the Onam festive season, under the direction of Girish A D and the production of Bhavana Studios, with Fahadh Faasil, Dileesh Pothan and Syam Pushkaran as backers.
Starring Nivin Pauly and Mamitha Baiju, the film’s ensemble includes Sangeeth Prathap, Suresh Krishna, Vinay Forrt, Roshan Shanavas, Srinda, Parvathy Ayyappadas, Meenakshy Raveendran, Bindu Panicker and others. As Day 18 continues, the focus shifts to whether the movie can close the remaining gap to Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra and secure another record at the Kerala box office.
