The much-anticipated Kannada political action thriller, 'The Devil', starring superstar Darshan Thoogudeepa, has experienced a turbulent journey at the box office since its release. The film, which hit theatres on December 11, 2025, opened to a powerful response but has witnessed a significant drop in collections after the initial rush.
A Blockbuster Opening Fades
According to trade reports from Sacnilk, 'The Devil' roared into cinemas with an impressive first-day collection of over Rs 10 crore. This strong start highlighted the massive fan following of Darshan. However, the momentum could not be sustained at the same level. The earnings dipped to Rs 3.4 crore on the second day. A slight recovery was seen on day three with Rs 3.8 crore, followed by Rs 4 crore on the fourth day, which was a Sunday.
The real downturn began from the fifth day onward, as the film entered the weekdays. The collections slowed down considerably: Rs 1.45 crore on day five, Rs 1.05 crore on day six, Rs 80 lakh on day seven, and a further drop to Rs 61 lakh on day eight. The latest early estimates for the ninth day, Thursday, December 19, 2025, stand at over Rs 47 lakh. This brings the film's total domestic box office collection to approximately Rs 25.58 crore.
Occupancy Rates Tell the Story
The occupancy data for the eighth day paints a clear picture of the declining audience interest. On Thursday, December 18, 2025, the film recorded an overall Kannada occupancy of 11.52 per cent. The morning shows struggled at just 6.93 per cent. Occupancy improved slightly during the afternoon (12.48 per cent) and evening (11.77 per cent) shows. The night shows were the best performers of the day with an occupancy of 14.90 per cent.
About 'The Devil' and Its Cast
'The Devil' is directed by Prakash Veer and features Darshan in a compelling dual role. The political action thriller boasts a strong supporting cast including Mahesh Manjrekar, Achyuth Kumar, Sharmiela Mandre, and Rachana Rai in key roles. The film's music is composed by B. Ajaneesh Loknath, while the cinematography is handled by Sudhakar S. Raj.
The film's box office trajectory is a classic case of a high-voltage opening fueled by star power, followed by a steep decline, suggesting that word-of-mouth may not have been as strong as the initial hype. The industry will be watching closely to see if the film can stabilize its earnings in the coming days or if the decline will continue.
