'Good Bad Ugly' lifetime box office collection: Ajith Kumar's film fails to break even despite Rs 212 crore worldwide

Time of India

15-05-2025

's much-hyped film '
Good Bad Ugly
', has wrapped up its theatrical run with a reported worldwide gross of ₹212 crores. Despite the impressive number on paper, the film has ultimately turned out to be a commercial disappointment, incurring a significant loss estimated at ₹66 crores.
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This marks one of the biggest deficits in recent big-budget Tamil cinema, raising questions about overestimated figures and inflated success claims.
Box office figures in Tamil Nadu spark controversy
In Tamil Nadu, the film opened across 540 theatres and reportedly made an early impact by grossing ₹28.5 crores in its opening phase, although the makers initially claimed ₹30.9 crores, as per Valai Pechu. This sparked discussions about box office exaggeration, especially since the inflated numbers seemed aimed at portraying the film as outperforming other recent releases, particularly Vijay's competing project.
However, a closer review of distributor and theatre data confirmed that 'Good Bad Ugly' fell short of the officially claimed mark by around ₹2.4 crores in Tamil Nadu alone.
Strong opening week momentum faded as collections dropped
The film's momentum appeared strong in its first five days, collecting an estimated Rs 99.5 crores, marginally below the projected Rs 100.5 crores. During its first full week, it amassed ₹113.6 crores, followed by a two-week total of Rs 172.5 crores.
However, the collections began to dip sharply in the third week, with the 24-day tally standing at ₹146.5 crores. Despite the early buzz and fan frenzy, the film's extended run couldn't sustain the initial pace.
Despite high global gross, mounting production costs leave the film in the red
By the end of its theatrical run, 'Good Bad Ugly' had managed to gross ₹212 crores globally, and the film ended its theatrical run with new releases.
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However, due to the film's massive production and distribution costs, the final profit and loss calculation revealed a significant shortfall. With a staggering Rs 66 crore loss, the film serves as a reminder that big openings alone don't guarantee success without strong word-of-mouth and consistent audience turnout.