The Kannada action drama '45', which marked the directorial debut of composer Arjun Janya, has concluded its first weekend in theatres with a steady performance. The film, headlined by stars Shivarajkumar and Upendra, has managed to hold its ground after a strong opening, amassing a total of approximately ₹9.50 crore in net collections across India over its first three days.
Opening Weekend Box Office Breakdown
The film kicked off its theatrical journey on December 25, 2025, with a robust opening day. It garnered an impressive ₹5.50 crore net from the Indian market. However, the second day, Friday, witnessed a significant dip, with earnings falling to around ₹2.00 crore. The third day, which was the first Saturday for the release, mirrored the previous day's performance, adding another ₹2.00 crore to its kitty.
This brings the cumulative total for the opening weekend to the ₹9.50 crore mark. Industry trackers note that while the film experienced a slowdown after its powerful day one, it has stabilized and is not showing signs of a crash, indicating a potential for a stable run in the coming days.
Theatre Occupancy on Day 3 (Saturday)
According to data from industry websites like Sacnilk, the overall Kannada occupancy for '45' on Saturday, December 27, stood at a respectable 30.60 percent. The footfall saw a clear progression as the day advanced:
- Morning shows: Started slow with an occupancy of only about 12.57%.
- Afternoon shows: Picked up momentum, reaching around 32.62%.
- Evening shows: Performed better, filling about 36.43% of seats.
- Night shows: Were the best attended, with occupancy peaking at approximately 40.77%.
Cast, Crew, and Future Prospects
'45' is a significant release featuring a stellar ensemble cast including Shivarajkumar, Upendra, Raj B. Shetty, Rajendran, and Pooja Ramachandra in pivotal roles. The film marks the first directorial venture of Arjun Janya, who is widely recognized in the Kannada film industry as a prolific music composer.
Positioned as an action drama thriller with philosophical undertones—a trademark often associated with Upendra's films—'45' has generated mixed word-of-mouth. Despite the varied talk and existing competition at the box office, its ability to maintain collections on day three at the same level as day two is seen as a positive sign. The film's trajectory now critically depends on sustaining positive audience word-of-mouth to ensure a stable and extended theatrical run.
