Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 Makes Record-Breaking Debut at the Indian Box Office

The highly anticipated third entry in the popular "Bhool Bhulaiyaa" franchise has seen a stellar box office opening, grossing ₹35.5 crore on its first day. This launch marks a career-high for lead actor Kartik Aaryan, surpassing the ₹13.45 crore debut of the 2022 film, "Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2." Directed by Anees Bazmee, "Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3" now stands as his most successful opening to date.

Set in Kolkata, the film stars an impressive cast, including Vidya Balan, Madhuri Dixit, and Triptii Dimri. Known for skillfully blending horror and comedy, the third installment revisits themes that made the previous films beloved by audiences. Despite facing competition from another major Diwali release, "Singham Again," which features a leading cast of industry veterans, "Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3" attracted large crowds and enjoyed strong advance bookings.

Film industry analyst Taran Adarsh lauded the movie’s unique mix of genres on social media, stating, “#OneWordReview... #BhoolBhulaiyaa3: OUTSTANDING. Entertainment ka bada dhamaka... Horror Comedy Terrific Suspense... #KartikAaryan [excellent] - #AneesBazmee combo hits it out of the park... #MadhuriDixit #VidyaBalan wowsome.”

Director Anees Bazmee expressed his gratitude for the positive audience response, which coincided with his birthday. “It’s the best birthday gift I could ever get,” Bazmee told ANI. “I love watching films with the audience to see their live reactions, and I’m glad they’re loving it.” Bazmee also addressed the concurrent release with "Singham Again," commenting, “I don’t consider it a clash. Both films released on the same day, and I hope both do good business.”

The film reported robust attendance across major Indian cities. According to Sacnilk, Mumbai recorded an 81.75% occupancy across 789 shows, while the National Capital Region (NCR) saw a 79.50% occupancy across 957 screenings. In Pune, the film achieved a 57.25% occupancy across 357 screenings, and Bengaluru reported a 69.50% occupancy over 250 shows. Hyderabad reached a 56.00% occupancy for 202 screenings, and Kolkata showed a strong 77.00% occupancy across 257 shows. Ahmedabad followed with 78.75% across 558 screenings, while Chennai posted an 81.50% occupancy over 59 shows. Jaipur led the occupancy charts with 86.00% across 118 shows, while Chandigarh, Bhopal, and Lucknow also reported high attendance rates, with Lucknow seeing an 84.75% occupancy across 170 screenings.

Vidya Balan, who reprises her iconic role as Manjulika, attended a first-day screening in Mumbai and shared her delight. “I felt extremely good watching the first day first show of the film at Gaiety. Nothing better than seeing our audience happy. Main bhaut khush hu. I hope a huge number of people come to theatres and watch the film,” she told ANI.

"Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3" continues to draw audiences nationwide, reinforcing its reputation as one of the most successful releases in recent times.