Korean Kanakaraju Box Office Day 1: Varun Tej’s Horror-Comedy Opens at ₹6.5 Crore Worldwide… Can Weekend Numbers Change the Game?

Varun Tej is back in theatres with a role that takes him into unusual territory.

His latest Telugu horror-comedy, Korean Kanakaraju, arrived on the big screen on August 7 and has recorded a decent opening despite receiving a mixed response from early viewers. Directed by Merlapaka Gandhi, the film also features Ritika Nayak and Satya in key roles.

According to early estimates from Sacnilk, Korean Kanakaraju earned around ₹3.95 crore net in India on Day 1. The film registered the collection across approximately 1,656 shows, taking its India gross to nearly ₹4.50 crore.

The opening suggests that the film has found a reasonable audience, but its weekend performance will be crucial if it wants to turn the initial curiosity into sustained box-office momentum.

Korean Kanakaraju Day 1: Night Shows Lead The Way

One interesting aspect of the film’s opening day was the gradual improvement in theatre occupancy as the day progressed.

According to the early tracking data, Korean Kanakaraju recorded approximately:

• Morning: 27.83% occupancy
• Afternoon: 38%
• Evening: 38%
• Night: 57.42%

The sharp rise during the night shows indicates that the film gained momentum as the day went on.

The strongest contribution came from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, while Karnataka and Tamil Nadu also emerged as important markets for the Telugu release.

Korean Kanakaraju Worldwide Box Office Day 1

The film’s overseas performance has provided an additional boost to its opening.

Korean Kanakaraju reportedly collected around ₹2 crore gross overseas on its first day. Combined with its estimated ₹4.50 crore India gross, the film’s worldwide collection currently stands at approximately ₹6.50 crore.

For a film opening to a mixed early response, the figure gives Korean Kanakaraju a reasonable starting point.

However, the real test begins now.

Weekend Will Decide Korean Kanakaraju’s Fate

The first-day number is only part of the story.

For Korean Kanakaraju, Saturday and Sunday will be particularly important. A healthy jump over the weekend would indicate that audiences are responding positively despite the mixed initial reactions.

On the other hand, if collections remain close to the opening-day level or decline sharply, the film could struggle to maintain momentum during the first week.

The growing occupancy towards the night shows provides at least one encouraging sign for the makers.

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What Is Korean Kanakaraju About?

Directed by Merlapaka Gandhi, Korean Kanakaraju combines horror and comedy around the life of a Rayalaseema youth named Kanakaraju.

The story takes an unexpected turn when a vessel from Korea brings a spirit that possesses him, transforming his life and giving rise to the unusual identity of “Korean Kanakaraju.”

The film stars Varun Tej in the lead, with Ritika Nayak and comedian Satya playing important roles.

The horror-comedy format gives Varun Tej an opportunity to explore a different kind of character, while Satya’s comic performance has emerged as one of the aspects appreciated by some early viewers.

At the same time, sections of the audience have raised concerns over the film’s climax and certain CGI-heavy sequences.

What’s Next For Korean Kanakaraju?

With ₹6.50 crore worldwide on Day 1, Korean Kanakaraju has made a respectable beginning.

But the film cannot afford to slow down now.

The weekend will reveal whether the Varun Tej starrer can convert its initial audience interest into stronger box-office numbers. If Saturday and Sunday bring a significant jump, the film could enter its first week with much greater confidence.

For now, Korean Kanakaraju has opened the door — the weekend will decide how far it can go.

Disclaimer: Box-office figures mentioned in this report are based on early publicly available tracking and industry estimates. Actual collections may vary as more theatres report their numbers and official figures are updated.