BY CHRISTA LINCY
The Dhamaal series has seen a steady transformation since the original film released in 2007. What started as a light-hearted road comedy focused on a treasure hunt has now grown into one of Bollywood’s most reliable comedy brands. Each sequel has attempted to scale up the stakes, moving from simple chases to the large-scale spectacle seen in Total Dhamaal. With Dhamaal 4, the narrative takes a new direction by incorporating sea pirates and supernatural themes into the mix. By bringing back core cast members like Ajay Devgn, Riteish Deshmukh, and Arshad Warsi, the makers are sticking to the established chemistry that fans expect, while trying to give the franchise a fresh look for its latest theatrical run.
Dhamaal 4 has concluded its first day with a net collection of ₹ 14 crore in India. Running across 10,669 shows, the film reached an India gross of ₹ 16.80 crore. When we look at the international market, early estimates suggest a gross of ₹ 5.00 crore, bringing the total worldwide opening day gross collection to ₹ 21.80 crore.
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A notable aspect of this release is the 4DX format, making Dhamaal 4 the first movie in 2026 to receive a 4DX theatrical release. While this immersive format is rare for Indian cinema, it has been used for major titles in the past like Pathaan, Jawan, Tiger 3, and more recently for Kalki 2898 AD, Pushpa 2: The Rule, Thamma, and Bade Miyan Chote Miyan. The response for Dhamaal 4 has been quite encouraging, with an overall occupancy of 42.30 per cent for 4DX shows, which is significantly higher than the standard format. In Mumbai, the 4DX occupancy was as high as 50 per cent, while National Capital Region shows stood at 40.8 per cent. The night shows in this format reached 46.69 per cent, showing that a section of the audience is seeking a premium theatrical experience.
If we analyze the performance of the franchise, this fourth installment has shown growth over the earlier parts but missed the high bar set by the previous film. The original Dhamaal opened with ₹ 2.38 crore in 2007, and Double Dhamaal grew to ₹ 7.6 crore in 2011. While Total Dhamaal had set a franchise record with ₹ 16.5 crore, Dhamaal 4 fell slightly short of that mark. However, with the current trend, a positive response from the audience could drive a significant weekend surge.
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In the list of major openers for the year 2026, Dhamaal 4 has secured a spot in the top five. It currently ranks as the fourth-highest opener of the year so far, just ahead of Cocktail 2. You can see how the top performers compare in the following table:
Top 5 Movie Openers of 2026 - India Net CollectionMOVIE NAMEINDIA NET COLLECTIONDhurandhar 2: The Revenge₹ 99.10 CrBorder 2₹ 30.00 CrWelcome To The Jungle₹ 15.25 CrDhamaal 4₹ 14 CrCocktail 2₹ 13.50 Cr
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Looking at ticket sales on BookMyShow, the movie sold 270,190 tickets on its opening Friday. Combined with pre-sales of 92,810 tickets, the total count on the platform stands at 363,000 tickets. Interestingly, the film narrowly missed a spot in the top 10 ticket sellers of the 2025-26 cycle, landing at the 12th position. It was only about 1,000 tickets behind Sikandar and 8,000 tickets behind Raid 2. This suggests that while it is attracting a large crowd, it is operating in a very competitive environment.
The national chains, which include PVR, INOX, and Cinepolis, contributed a total of roughly 45,000 tickets for the opening day. This amounted to a gross of ₹ 1.65 crore. PVR led the chains with approximately 23.4k tickets and a gross of ₹ 92 lakh at an occupancy of 7.71 per cent. INOX followed with about 15.4k tickets, earning ₹ 53 lakh with 5.45 per cent occupancy. Cinepolis recorded nearly 6.2k tickets, collecting around ₹ 21 lakh with a 3.90 per cent occupancy rate.
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The overall occupancy for the standard Hindi 2D version was 24.54 per cent for the day. The film saw a clear upward trend as the day progressed. It started with 8.38 per cent in the morning and grew to 19.15 per cent in the afternoon. By the evening, occupancy reached 24.85 per cent, finally peaking at 42.00 per cent for the night shows. This pattern indicates that families and office-goers are opting for late shows, which is a good sign for Saturday and Sunday growth.
Regionally, Mumbai and the National Capital Region were the strongest performers for the 2D version. Mumbai recorded 24 per cent occupancy across 820 shows, with night shows hitting 43 per cent. NCR followed closely with 22.8 per cent occupancy across 969 shows, peaking at 37 per cent at night. Other regions like Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad also maintained steady levels around 22 to 23 per cent. Cities like Surat and Kolkata were on the lower side, staying under 15 per cent overall.
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For those opting for the 4DX experience, the occupancy levels were notably higher than the standard format, with an overall average of 42.30 per cent. This premium version saw a slow start in the morning at 6.08 per cent, but it gained significant traction as the day progressed. By the afternoon, occupancy rose to 17.23 per cent, and while there was a slight dip in the evening to 11.15 per cent, the night shows recorded a very strong 46.69 per cent. In terms of regions, Mumbai saw the highest demand for 4DX with a 50 per cent overall occupancy across its 5 shows, peaking at 51 per cent in the evening. The National Capital Region, which had a larger volume of 15 shows, maintained a steady 40.8 per cent occupancy, starting particularly well in the morning at 44 per cent. Bengaluru recorded an overall occupancy of 28.7 per cent for its 11 shows, though its night shows stood out with a high of 54 per cent. These numbers suggest that while the show count for 4DX is limited, the audience interest for this specific immersive experience is quite high compared to regular screenings.
While the opening numbers are stable, the film's long-term success will depend on how it holds up over the weekend. The fact that it is a clean family entertainer and is available in multiple formats like 4DX should help in sustaining the momentum if the word of mouth remains positive.
Tollywood
