Pawan Kalyan’s They Call Him OG: Was the Mega Budget Worth It? A Deep Dive into Box Office Returns!

Huge Hopes vs. Harsh Reality: Analyzing OG‘s Box Office Run

Hyderabad, October 28, 2025 – Power Star Pawan Kalyan’s grand action-gangster drama, They Call Him OG, hit the screens worldwide on September 25, 2025. It came with sky-high expectations. The film, directed by Sujeeth, saw a massive opening day. It set records in the Telugu film industry.

However, the true picture of its success depends on its Return on Investment (ROI). We need to look closely at its huge budget versus its final box office collection. Did the film truly hit the mark for its distributors and producers?

Let’s break down the numbers for Boxofficewala readers.

They Call Him OG Budget and The Break-Even Target

Every big movie’s fate is decided by its budget. They Call Him OG was no small venture. The reported production budget for this high-octane film was in the range of ₹200 crore to ₹250 crore.

This makes it one of the most expensive Telugu films ever made. The star power of Pawan Kalyan commands a huge fee. This contributes significantly to the total cost.

The producers sell the film’s distribution rights to different areas. They sell rights for Telugu states, North India, and Overseas. The buyers of these rights need the film to earn a certain amount to cover their investment and make a profit. This amount is called the break-even target.

• Reported Budget: ₹200 crore−₹250 crore (This includes production cost and prints & publicity (P&P)).
• Theatrical Rights Value: The total value of theatrical rights sold across all regions was estimated to be around ₹180-240 crore (approximate estimates vary).
• The Break-Even Challenge: To be considered a clean ‘Hit’ or ‘Blockbuster’ and ensure profits for all distributors, the film needed a massive worldwide share. For its distributors in Telugu states alone, the target was reported to be around ₹240-250 crore just to reach the break-even stage.

A film on such a huge scale demands monumental box office numbers to be a commercial Success.

They Call Him OG Record-Shattering Opening and Box Office Run

The film’s opening was nothing short of a “Firestorm”. The first day was historic.

Initial Box Office Tsunami

• They Call Him OG grossed a spectacular ₹154 crore worldwide on its opening day (Day 1). This was a career-best opening for Pawan Kalyan.
• The film recovered nearly half of its investment on the very first day. This is a very rare achievement.
• In the Telugu states, the gross collection surpassed ₹140 crore with a share of ₹88.45 crore on Day 1. This proved the massive craze for the star.

The Drop in Momentum

Despite the huge start, the collections began to slow down after the first weekend. The mixed word-of-mouth among the audience affected its long run. The initial euphoria did not translate into sustained business.

• By the end of the first week (7 days), the domestic net collection was around ₹161.60 crore.
• The worldwide gross collection at the end of Day 7 was about ₹253.38 crore. This meant the film had recovered roughly 64% of its ₹250 crore investment cost.

They Call Him OG Final Worldwide Collections

According to the latest trade reports, They Call Him OG closed its theatrical run with a final worldwide gross of around ₹283 crore to ₹300 crore.

• India Gross: Around ₹219 crore.
• Overseas Gross: Around ₹64 crore (USD 7.21 million).
• Worldwide Gross: Around ₹283 crore (as per one major trade report).

The film became the highest-grossing Telugu film of 2025. It also holds the record for Pawan Kalyan’s highest-grossing film worldwide.

They Call Him OG ROI Verdict: A Hit for the Star, but a Loss for Distributors?

The final verdict on a film’s success is not just about the gross collection. It is about whether the distributors made money.

The Mixed Bag:

1. For Producers (DVV Entertainment): The producers made their money back through the massive sale of theatrical, digital (OTT), and satellite rights. Netflix reportedly bought the digital rights for a high price. The film is a financial success for the production house.
2. For Overseas Distributors: The film was a clear Hit in the overseas market. The rights were bought at cheaper rates years before, and the film collected a great amount.
3. For Domestic (Telugu States) Distributors: This is where the challenge lies. The high theatrical rights were bought assuming a ‘Blockbuster’ run. With a break-even target of ₹240−250 crore share, a final gross of under ₹200 crore in Telugu states means that the distributors there faced significant losses.

Trade analysts state that They Call Him OG did ‘Super Hit’ or ‘Hit’ level business. But because the distribution rights were sold at ‘Blockbuster’ prices, the film is sometimes labeled a ‘Loss’ or ‘Flop’ for the local distributors who paid too much.

Conclusion

In conclusion, They Call Him OG was a box office marvel for Pawan Kalyan, delivering huge numbers and setting career records. However, the gigantic ₹250 crore budget and the aggressive pricing of distribution rights meant the theatrical ROI for some domestic buyers was not enough.

This shows how high-budget films carry a big risk in the film business. It was a huge success for the star’s brand, but financially, it was a case of great opening, great worldwide gross, but a deficit for a section of the distributors.