Cinema VinesSrikanth Odela’s latest venture, Paradise, starring Nani in the lead, has shattered pre‑sales expectations, crossing the ₹35 crore mark before its theatrical release on September 24. The film, which also features Mohan Babu, Kayadu Lohar and Raghav Juyal, is set to premiere on Wednesday evening and hit the big screen on Thursday.
According to trade sources, the premiere shows on Wednesday sold 1.78 lakh tickets, generating ₹5.64 crore by 3 PM. Thursday’s opening day saw 9.17 lakh tickets sold, bringing in ₹19.52 crore. The film has performed strongest in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, with comparatively lower figures in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and other regions.
Internationally, Prathyangira Cinemas—distributor for North America and Australia—reported that Paradise collected $1.11 million (₹10.62 crore) in advance from North American premieres, more than double the $450,000 (₹4.31 crore) earned by Nani’s previous film, HIT: The Third Case. The distributor also predicts that the film will become Nani’s highest‑grossing opener in Australia based solely on pre‑sales.
Combining domestic and overseas pre‑sales, Paradise has already amassed roughly ₹35.78 crore worldwide, with trade analyst Ramesh Bala claiming a global pre‑sales figure of ₹43 crore on X (formerly Twitter). With additional premiere and opening‑day tickets still on sale, the film is poised to become Nani’s career‑best opening.
For context, Nani’s top five openers to date include HIT: The Third Case (₹37.81 crore worldwide), Dasara (₹36.28 crore), Saripodhaa Sanivaaram (₹19.34 crore), Middle Class Abbayi (₹15 crore) and Shyam Singha Roy (₹12 crore). Despite its A‑rating, Paradise is expected to surpass these figures.
The narrative is set in 1980s Secunderabad and follows the struggles of a marginalized community fighting systemic oppression. Nani portrays the character Jadal, while the ensemble cast brings depth to the story’s social commentary.
