The Kannada film Bagheera, directed by Dr. Suri and written by Prashanth Neel—acclaimed for his work on KGF and Salaar—hit theaters on October 31, 2024, strategically releasing during Diwali celebrations. Featuring Sriimurali as a driven police officer-turned-vigilante, Bagheera delves into the fight for justice within a crime-laden society, with standout performances from Rukmini Vasanth, Prakash Raj, and Achyuth Kumar.
While the film generated high anticipation as a Diwali release, its box office opened modestly with a collection of Rs. 2.80 crore on day one. According to Sacnilk, Bagheera saw a steady reception in Kannada cinemas, achieving an overall occupancy rate of 43.29%. The occupancy began at 27.71% in morning shows, rose to 47.50% in the afternoon, with evening and night shows reaching 41.87% and peaking at 56.06%, respectively. In Telugu theaters, the opening occupancy was recorded at 16.75%, showing potential for growth.
Currently, Bagheera faces strong competition from other festive releases, including the Tamil film Amaran and Telugu titles Bloody Beggar, Lucky Bhaskar, and Ka, creating a dynamic box office landscape this Diwali.