Telugu superstar Pawan Kalyan’s latest release They Call Him OG has stormed the box office, emerging as the year’s biggest opener.

According to trade tracker Sacnilk, the film grossed Rs 70 crore on its opening day in India. Combined with Rs 20.25 crore from paid previews a day earlier, the total reached Rs 90.25 crore. Globally, it is expected to cross the Rs 150 crore mark on day one.

The blockbuster debut surpasses Pawan Kalyan’s own Hari Hara Veera Mallu (Rs 34 crore opening) and beats other 2025 big releases including Rajinikanth’s Coolie (Rs 65 crore), Vicky Kaushal’s Chhaava (Rs 31 crore), and Ahaan Panday’s Saiyaara (Rs 21.5 crore).

Directed by Sujeeth and produced by D. V. V. Danayya, They Call Him OG features Kalyan as a retired gangster who resurfaces in Bombay in 1993 to confront rival crime lord Omi Bhau, played by Emraan Hashmi in his Telugu debut. Priyanka Mohan, Arjun Das, Sriya Reddy and Prakash Raj also star.

NDTV critic Saibal Chatterjee noted that while the screenplay falters, “Pawan Kalyan goes full tilt” and his charisma keeps the film’s momentum alive.