The Malayalam comedy-drama Sarvam Maya, starring Nivin Pauly, has emerged as a major commercial success, marking a powerful comeback for the actor. Released in theatres on 25 December, the fantasy film has captivated audiences with its unique storyline and strong performances, leading to impressive box office numbers.
A Story of Atheism and Ghostly Friendship
The plot of Sarvam Maya revolves around Prabhendu Namboothiri, played by Nivin Pauly. He is an atheist hailing from a traditional Brahmin family in Palakkad who aspires to be a musician. After a visa rejection thwarts his plans, he reluctantly starts assisting his priest cousin. During a ritual, he encounters a teenage ghost named Delulu, portrayed by newcomer Riya Shibu, who has no memory of her past. The film explores their unusual bond as they unravel the mystery of her true identity. The title, meaning 'everything is a delusion', hints at the film's core theme.
The supporting cast includes Preity Mukhundhan and Aju Varghese, with music composed by Justin Prabhakaran.
Box Office Journey: From Steady Start to Profitable Run
The film opened to a steady collection of ₹3.35 crore on its first day, a Thursday. It saw consistent growth over the opening weekend, with Friday at ₹3.9 crore, Saturday at ₹4.85 crore, and a peak Sunday collection of ₹5.8 crore. The strong weekend turnout, particularly from family audiences, set a positive trend.
As expected, weekday numbers saw a dip, with Monday and Tuesday around ₹4.25 crore, and Wednesday dropping to ₹3.5 crore. However, the film demonstrated remarkable resilience, bouncing back on its second Thursday with ₹5.2 crore and adding ₹4.9 crore on Friday, indicating that its second-week performance could surpass the first.
According to industry estimates, the total India net collection stands at a robust ₹40 crore, with a gross India figure of ₹47.15 crore. The overseas performance has been equally stellar, contributing a significant 44.30% to the total earnings with ₹37.50 crore. This brings the worldwide box office collection to ₹84.65 crore.
With a reported production budget of ₹30 crore, Sarvam Maya entered the profit zone within its first week itself, a feat that highlights its efficient commercial performance.
OTT Release and Future Streaming Plans
For audiences waiting to stream the film at home, reports indicate that Sarvam Maya is slated for an OTT release on the JioHotstar platform. However, fans will need to be patient, as the film is expected to follow a traditional theatrical window. It is reported that the movie will start streaming only 45 days after its theatrical release. This timeline suggests that the Malayalam fantasy drama will be available for online viewing earliest by the second week of February.
The film's success story, marked by Nivin Pauly's acclaimed comeback and Riya Shibu's promising debut, has made it one of the notable Malayalam releases to conclude 2024 and begin 2025 on a high note.
