Bhooth Bangla Day 44 Box Office: Akshay Kumar Nears Kartik Aaryan's Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 Worldwide Record

The horror-comedy landscape in Indian cinema has undergone a massive transformation over the last two decades. It all started back in 2007 when the legendary filmmaker Priyadarshan helmed the original Bhool Bhulaiyaa. With Akshay Kumar at the forefront, that film set a benchmark for the genre, eventually wrapping up its worldwide journey with about 82.35 crore. Fast forward to 2022, and the franchise saw a reboot of sorts under director Anees Bazmee. Starring Kartik Aaryan, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 became a massive phenomenon, scoring the highest opening of that year and finishing as Kartik’s first 200 crore global grosser with a lifetime worldwide total of 265.50 crore.

Now, the wheel has come full circle. Akshay Kumar is back in the genre with Bhooth Bangla, and the box office numbers suggest that the veteran is ready to reclaim his territory. As of its 45th day the 7th Sunday, the film has achieved a significant milestone by essentially catching up to the global lifetime collections of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2. This is not just a win for the star, but a testament to how much the market for horror-comedies has expanded since the 2007 original.

The momentum over the seventh weekend has been particularly impressive. On Saturday, Bhooth Bangla witnessed a 45.5 percent spike in its earnings, bringing in 80 lakhs compared to the 55 lakhs it collected on Friday. This jump is a much-needed shot of oxygen for a film that has been in theaters for over six weeks. This Saturday performance pushed the total India net collection to 178.25 crore, while the worldwide gross climbed to 264.93 crore. With the film breathing down the neck of Kartik Aaryan's record, today's live tracking confirms the inevitable takeover.

Looking at the live data for Sunday, the film has already added about 20 lakhs net to its kitty by mid-afternoon. With the Sunday evening shows still ahead, Bhooth Bangla is now within striking distance of the 265.50 crore lifetime mark set by Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2. It is expected to clear that hurdle by the time the final numbers for the day come in. This steady stream of moolah is a shot of oxygen few expected this late into the run, proving that even after 234,764 shows, the audience's interest is far from exhausted.

The ground-level occupancy and ticket sales reflect this endurance. On Saturday alone, BookMyShow recorded over 12,000 ticket bookings, contributing to a massive cumulative total of over 3.33 million tickets on the platform. Even in the high-stakes national chains, the film is holding its own. On Saturday, PVR, INOX, and Cinepolis combined for approximately 2,000 ticket sales. The momentum hasn't dipped today either, as the national chains have already moved about 1,200 tickets by 2 PM on Sunday.

This late-stage momentum shows that Bhooth Bangla is finding its second wind. By catching up to the 265.50 crore lifetime mark of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, Akshay Kumar has reclaimed a spot in the horror-comedy genre. While the film won't be catching up to the massive 400.35 crore worldwide record set by Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, matching the second part is a solid indicator of its longevity. The film continues to add a steady flow of moolah to its total, proving it still has a place in the market even after six weeks.