Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire is one of the most talked-about Indian action films of recent years. Directed by Prashanth Neel and starring Prabhas, the film was released in multiple languages — with its Telugu original version and a Hindi dubbed version reaching different audience segments across India and overseas.

Below, we break down how the film performed commercially, how the Hindi and Telugu versions compared in earnings, and what that means for pan-India films going forward.

Overview: Release and Initial Expectations

Salaar hit theatres on 22 December 2023, timed with the holiday season, which traditionally boosts theatrical traffic. It was among the few major South Indian films released during that window and had strong anticipation because of Prabhas’ star power and Prashanth Neel’s reputation.

The film was made with a significant budget in the range of ₹270–400 crore, and its multilingual release was clearly aimed at both regional and national audiences.

Week-by-Week India Collections (Hindi vs Telugu)

(Net Collections – approx ranges based on trade trackers)

Week	Telugu (₹ Cr)	Hindi (₹ Cr)	Notes
Week 1	~186 Cr	~92.5 Cr	Holiday boost + strong opening
Week 2	~40–42 Cr	~25–28 Cr	Telugu holds stronger
Week 3	~8–10 Cr	~6–7 Cr	Tapering phase begins
Week 4	~3–4 Cr	~2–3 Cr	Screens reduced
After Week 4	Minimal	Minimal	Final legs & shifting to OTT window

Total Indian Market Contribution %

Version	Share (%)	Interpretation
Telugu	~65–70%	Core original market
Hindi	~30–35%	Strong for a dubbed release

The Telugu share can vary slightly depending on overseas positioning, but domestically this percentage trend matches pan-India trade tracking for Salaar.

Overseas Comparison (Estimated)

Region	Telugu	Hindi	Notes
USA/Canada	Higher	Lower	Telugu diaspora + premiere pull
Middle East	Higher	Medium	Telugu + pan-India audience
Europe	Medium	Medium	Multiplex premium markets
Australia/NZ	Higher	Lower	Telugu base stronger
Africa/Other	Low	Low	Niche markets both sides

Overseas Hindi dubbed version performed modestly but added incremental revenue.

Combined Contribution to Worldwide Gross

Version	Estimated Contribution (All Markets Combined)	Strength
Telugu	Major share	Primary driver of global box office
Hindi	Secondary share	Supplementary but meaningful

Total Worldwide Collection (All Versions)

Estimates for Salaar’s total worldwide gross vary slightly based on sources, but generally fall within:

• ₹612–702 crore (approx) worldwide gross theatrical revenue for all languages combined.

This places the film among the highest-grossing Telugu films globally, often ranking 4th-6th in lists of top Telugu releases.

Telugu Version vs Hindi Version — Key Numbers

Telugu Original

The Telugu original is Salaar’s core market, and the lion’s share of box office revenue came from this version:

• First 3 days / strong opening from major Telugu states
• Major chunk of the roughly ₹612–702 crore worldwide gross came from Telugu audiences in India and overseas.

Sources also indicate a strong India net total near ₹406 crore across all languages including Telugu.

Hindi Dubbed Version

The Hindi dubbed version also contributed significantly, especially in North India:

• Official industry trackers estimate the Hindi version’s overseas total alone around $2.50 million (roughly ₹20–22 crore).
• This suggests the Hindi dubbed version was a commercial success in its own right, earning well outside pure regional Telugu revenues.

While the Hindi version did not match Telugu earnings, it was notable for a dubbed release, contributing several tens of crores to the film’s total.

Context: Hindi Dubbed Films on Box Office Charts

In comparison to other Hindi dubbed South films:

• Mahavatar Narsimha (another dubbed South film) outperformed Salaar’s Hindi version in gross revenue and became one of the highest-grossing Hindi dub releases ever with around ₹210.5 crore.

This sheds light on how some dubbed films can outperform expectations in non-original markets, particularly if the content resonates with audiences beyond linguistic boundaries.

Regional Strength: Why Telugu Leads

The Telugu film industry (Tollywood) has seen rapid box office growth in recent years, particularly driven by pan-India projects like:

• Pushpa 2: The Rule
• RRR
• Salaar itself

According to aggregator lists of Telugu films, Salaar remains high among the top worldwide grossers in Telugu cinema, trailing only behind a handful of blockbusters in total revenue.

Weekly Performance Snapshot

A breakdown of estimated day-wise revenue across languages published by trade trackers shows:

• Week 1 total: around ₹308 cr, with Telugu contributing most (about ₹186 cr) and Hindi around ₹92.5 cr for that week.
• Week 2: approx ₹70.1 cr combined.
• Beyond Week 3 and 4, numbers tapered significantly but added to the lifetime tally.

This shows how the film’s Telugu version held stronger legs in regional hearts initially, while the Hindi version maintained steady earnings over multiple screens.

Hindi vs Telugu: What the Numbers Show

Telugu Market (Original)

✔ Bigger overall share of total gross
✔ Higher screen counts in South India
✔ Stronger word-of-mouth in largest domestic markets for Telugu cinema

Hindi Dub Version

✔ Respectable earnings for a dubbed release
✔ Significant pickup in non-regional markets (North India)
✔ Not blockbuster level compared with films originally made in Hindi, but solid for a dubbed project

Comparative Insight

In pure commercial terms:

• The Telugu original drove the majority of Salaar’s box office success, contributing bulk domestic revenue across AP, Telangana and other South-heavy markets.
• The Hindi dubbed version added meaningful revenue but was not the definitive driver of the film’s success — its impact was supplementary and regionally spread.

This is a common pattern for high budget South Indian action films that release dubbed versions nationwide. A dubbed release helps broaden reach, but the core original language earnings usually outpace the dubbed returns for most titles.

Why This Matters for Pan-India Releases

Salaar’s performance highlights a few current trends:

1. Regional giants dominate big action movies
Telugu cinema has built strong pan-India appeal, especially for masses and overseas markets.

2. Dubbed films contribute meaningfully but have limits
A good example is Salaar’s Hindi version, which performed well but did not match the originals. This shows dubbed films can be hit-driven among non-regional audiences but rarely dominate unless content strongly crosses cultural lines.

3. Benchmarking matters
Comparisons with other dubbed successes like Mahavatar Narsimha show how content and marketing can shift dubbed film performance at the box office.

Final Takeaways

• Salaar’s Telugu version was the clear commercial leader, accounting for most of the ₹612–702 crore worldwide box office total.
• The Hindi dubbed version performed strongly compared with typical dubbed releases, adding significantly to the weekend and overseas totals.
• Salaar remains one of the biggest Telugu grossers in recent years, showing the pull of the original language version.
• Dubbed films can succeed, but rarely eclipse the power of the original — unless they truly resonate across markets.