The Kerala Story 2 box office collection Day 1 numbers are out, and the sequel hasn’t matched the strong start of its first film. Directed by Kamakhya Narayan Singh and produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah, The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond released on Friday (February 27, 2026).
The opening day faced several challenges. The film released amid a legal battle, with a single-judge bench of the Kerala High Court issuing a 15-day stay order just a day before its release. This led to the cancellation of most morning and early afternoon shows between 9 am and 2 pm. A Division Bench lifted the stay at around 4 pm, allowing screenings to resume. Some theatres that already had encrypted KDMs started shows at 3:10 pm, while chains like PVR Inox and Cinepolis restarted full operations from 7 pm
The Kerala Story 2 Box Office Collection Day 1
According to Sacnilk, The Kerala Story 2 earned Rs 4.10 crore gross and Rs 3.50 crore net on its first day. The film ran across 2,404 shows nationwide, with an average occupancy of 14.9%.
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While these numbers are decent, they are far below the first film. The original The Kerala Story (2023) opened to Rs 9.41 crore gross and Rs 8.04 crore net on Day 1. Based on these figures, the sequel’s net opening is over 56% lower than its predecessor.
The last-minute legal hurdles likely affected advance bookings. Many viewers may have postponed plans due to confusion over show timings. Early occupancy in key markets like Mumbai and NCR remained modest.
Producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah has admitted that the late clearance and uncertainty affected ticket sales. With several morning shows cancelled, the movie essentially lost half a day of potential earnings.
Compared to Vivek Agnihotri’s The Bengal Files, its Day 1 performance looks stronger. The political drama (released in September 2025) collected Rs 2.08 crore gross and Rs 1.75 crore net across 1,102 shows, according to Sacnilk.
In net terms, The Kerala Story 2 opened nearly DOUBLE that of The Bengal Files. However, expectations were higher this time due to the success of the first instalment. Both films also faced controversy and political debates, which can sometimes help footfall, but only if curiosity leads to ticket purchases.
About The Sequel
The film expands its story from regional to national. It follows three young women – Surekha Nair (an IAS aspirant from Kerala), Neha Sant (a javelin thrower from Madhya Pradesh) and Divya Paliwal (a dancer from Rajasthan). Their ambitions are allegedly crushed through deceit and manipulation, leading them into “cages” before they decide to fight back.
Ulka Gupta, Aditi Bhatia and Aishwarya Ojha play the leads, supported by Sumit Gahlawat, Arjan Singh Aujla and Yuktam Khoslla. Produced by Sunshine Pictures, the film runs for 2 hours and 11 minutes.
