By: Entertainment DeskNew Delhi | September 26, 2025 09:26 AM IST 3 min readThey Call Him OG box office collection day 1: Pawan Kalyan’s highly-anticipated action thriller They Call Him OG has stormed the box office, opening to a staggering Rs 91 crore net in India, with global collections already surpassing the Rs 150 crore mark. According to industry tracker Sacnilk, the film earned Rs 20.25 crore through previews, with special benefit shows kicking off as early as 1 AM and ticket prices soaring up to Rs 1,000 in parts of Andhra Pradesh.Despite facing multiple delays prior to release, They Call Him OG recorded an impressive overall occupancy rate of 69.35% in the Telugu language. It was followed by 18.36% in Tamil, 10.37% in Hindi, and 9.19% in Kannada. The film was screened across 4,161 shows in Telugu throughout India. In Tamil, it played in over 226 shows, while Hindi saw 336 screenings. The Kannada version had a limited release, primarily in select regions of Karnataka, with around 20 shows.The Pawan Kalyan-starrer also benefitted from a temporary hike in ticket prices, with rates for benefit shows reaching Rs 1,000. For the initial release window (September 25 to October 4), ticket prices were increased to Rs 125 for single screens and Rs 150 for multiplexes above the standard rates. Normal pricing is expected to resume from October 5.However, the film’s release overseas was not without controversy. Several distributors and exhibitors in the US and UK declined to screen the film, alleging irregularities. York Cinema, a major exhibitor of Indian films in North America, pulled all shows of They Call Him OG, accusing the producers of artificially inflating sales figures. Similarly, European distributor 4 Seasons Creation AS—responsible for Indian content in 37 countries—criticised the makers for delayed content delivery, which jeopardised scheduled screenings. In Canada, multiple shows were also cancelled due to logistical issues.ALSO READ | They Call Him OG movie review: Pawan Kalyan commands OG control in Sujeeth’s actionerIn a bid to manage the overseas rollout, North American distributor Prathyangira Cinemas stepped in, sending physical hard drives from Los Angeles to theaters across the US, ensuring the film’s release continued despite hurdles.Amidst these challenges, advance bookings in India soared past Rs 70 crore, with Sacnilk projecting an opening of Rs 150 crore. This performance has already eclipsed the lifetime collection of Kalyan’s previous film Hari Hara Veera Mallu, which grossed Rs 116 crore worldwide. Moreover, the opening day collections of They Call Him OG have surpassed the total box office runs of his recent films Bro (2023), Bheemla Nayak (2022), and Vakeel Saab (2021) making it the biggest opener of his career.Story continues below this adDirected by Sujeeth and produced under the DVV Entertainments banner, They Call Him OG is reportedly made on a budget of Rs 200–250 crore. The film features an ensemble cast including Priyanka Arul Mohan, Emraan Hashmi, Prakash Raj, Arjun Das, and Sriya Reddy.Click here to follow Screen Digital on YouTube and stay updated with the latest from the world of cinema.© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd