Prabhas' Darling records 2nd biggest Telugu re-release debut, earns Rs 7.59 crore

Prabhas and Kajal Aggarwal’s 2010 film Darling has returned to theatres 16 years after its original release, and the 4K remastered version has opened to a strong response at the box office. The 2010 romantic comedy re-released on April 23 and, according to industry tracker Sacnilk, sold over 2 lakh tickets and earned Rs 7.59 crore worldwide on Day 1.

DARLING BOX OFFICE DAY 1

The opening places Darling as the second-biggest Day 1 performer among Telugu re-releases. The only film ahead of it is Baahubali: The Epic, which collected Rs 19.65 crore worldwide on its opening day.

The re-release has also renewed attention around Darling – the film that earned Prabhas the nickname still closely associated with him. Its Day 1 total marks a notable return for the film in its upgraded 4K version, highlighting sustained audience interest in the actor’s earlier work.

The film also recorded measurable traction overseas. According to data reported by Venky Box Office, Darling grossed $32,093 internationally on its opening day. North America contributed $20,962 from 82 locations, while the United Kingdom added £7,708 and Australia brought in approximately A$1,000.

Check out audiences' reaction at theatres:

DARLING OUTPERFORMS GABBAR SINGH, BAAHUBALI 2

With this performance, Darling has moved past Pawan Kalyan’s Gabbar Singh among Telugu re-releases, securing the second position in terms of opening-day collections. It continues to trail Baahubali: The Epic, which remains the benchmark in this category.

The momentum was visible even before the first show. The film sold nearly 195,000 tickets in advance bookings, generating a pre-release gross of Rs 2.65 crore in India. On its opening day, Hyderabad recorded 47 per cent occupancy, indicating strong turnout across key centres.

According to Sacnilk, Darling has also outperformed recent Telugu re-releases such as Gabbar Singh 4K and Khaleja 4K in terms of opening-day collections. The trend of re-releases has gathered pace since 2024, with older titles returning to theatres and drawing significant audience interest.

Gabbar Singh, originally released in 2012, collected Rs 6.25 crore in India on its opening day, including previews, and at the time emerged as the biggest domestic opener among re-releases, ahead of Mahesh Babu’s Murari. Similarly, Khaleja 4K opened to Rs 6.85 crore worldwide on Day 1 and went on to cross Rs 10 crore in its total run, according to Koimoi.

BAAHUBALI:THE EPIC RE-RELEASE BOX OFFICE

The benchmark, however, remains Baahubali: The Epic, released in October 2025. Directed by SS Rajamouli, the combined and remastered version of the two Baahubali films was presented as a single 3-hour-45-minute cut. It earned around Rs 12.50 crore in India on Day 1, with overseas collections estimated at Rs 6–7 crore, taking its worldwide opening to approximately Rs 19.65 crore. Its final global tally reportedly stood at Rs 52 crore, making it the highest-grossing Telugu re-release so far.

Directed by A Karunakaran and produced by Sri Venkateswara Cine Chitra, Darling is considered a key film in Prabhas’s career before the Baahubali franchise.