Antony Varghese Pepe’s latest action thriller Kattalan opened on a strong note at the box office, collecting ₹ 9.02 crore worldwide on its first day, according to figures shared by the makers on social media on 29 May 2026. The action thriller grossed ₹ 3.91 crore across India on its opening day, with Kerala accounting for the lion’s share of the domestic collections. The film earned ₹ 3.47 crore gross from the state alone, while the remaining ₹ 5.11 crore came from overseas markets, indicating a healthy international appetite for the Malayalam actioner.
According to industry tracker Sacnilk.com, Kattalan registered an India net collection of ₹ 3.40 crore from 3,358 shows nationwide. The Malayalam version emerged as the clear frontrunner, contributing ₹ 2.85 crore net and recording an occupancy of around 48 percent across 1,428 shows. Among the dubbed versions, the Telugu release collected ₹ 20 lakh, while the Hindi version earned ₹ 28 lakh. The Tamil and Kannada versions contributed ₹ 5 lakh and ₹ 2 lakh respectively. These numbers illustrate the film’s pan‑Indian release strategy, which targeted audiences in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi territories alongside its home market of Kerala.
Cast and crew
Directed by debutant Paul George, Kattalan is an actioner revolving around the world of ivory smuggling. The screenplay was co‑written by director Paul alongside Joby Varghese and Jero Jacob, while the dialogues were penned by Unni R. The film’s technical crew boasts considerable firepower: music by B Ajaneesh Loknath and Ravi Basrur (of KGF fame), and stunt choreography by Kecha Khamphakdee, known for his work in the Ong‑Bak franchise. The ensemble cast includes Tamil actor Dushara Vijayan making her Malayalam debut, alongside Sunil, Kabir Duhan Singh, Jagadish, Siddique, Anson Paul, Raj Tirandasu, Baby Jean, Hipster, Hanan Shaah and Parth Tiwari, among others.
Despite the lukewarm critical note, the strong opening day collection of ₹ 9.02 crore worldwide signals that audience interest remained high, driven largely by the star power of Antony Varghese and Kabir Duhan Singh, the buzz around the film’s action sequences, and the music composed by two well‑known industry names. The overseas contribution of over ₹ 5 crore also underscores the growing global reach of Malayalam cinema, particularly in markets with significant Malayali diaspora populations.
Looking ahead, the film’s long‑term performance will depend on word‑of‑mouth and how well it sustains its occupancy in the coming days. With a budget that is reportedly modest compared to big‑ticket pan‑Indian releases, Kattalan is already in a comfortable position to recover its investment within the first weekend. Industry observers will watch closely to see if the film can cross the ₹ 50 crore lifetime mark, which would cement Antony Varghese’s status as one of Malayalam cinema’s most reliable box‑office draws.
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