UI box office Day 1: Upendra's film opens less than Kabzaa

Kannada film UI, starring and directed by Upendra, opened to decent reviews but earned less than expected on its first day, facing competition from Tamil and Telugu films.

In Short

• UI earned Rs 6.75 crore on Day 1
• The film saw an overall occupancy of 72.44 per cent in the Kannada belt
• UI also stars Reeshma Nanaiah, Murali Sharma, and others

Kannada film UI, which released on December 20, opened to decent reviews. The dystopian action film earned less than the expected sum on the opening day. UI stars Upendra, who also directed the film.

As per s Sacnilk report, UI has reportedly earned Rs 6.75 crore, less than the expected sum of Rs 7.50 crore. Though the film didn't face any major competition from the Kannada belt, it clashed with Tamil film Viduthalai Part. There's no stopping for Telugu film Pushpa 2 either, as it continues to shine at the box office, surpassing global earnings worth Rs 1000 crore. Upendra's film saw an overall occupancy of 72.44 per cent in the Kannada belt.

UI failed to match up to Upendra's last film, Kabzaa, co-starring Kiccha Sudeep, Shiva Rajkumar. The film earned over Rs 10 crore on Day 1.

Watch the trailer of UI here:

Upendra returned to the director’s chair after nine years with UI. Speaking to India Today Digital, he described the film as a “psychological, commercial, political, and satirical entertainer.” He revealed that the project is layered with metaphors, making it an interactive experience for audiences. “We created our own world. Every house, costume, and element in the film represents something,” he said.

UI features an ensemble cast with Reeshma Nanaiah playing the female lead, alongside Murali Sharma, P Ravi Shankar, Guruprasad, Nidhi Subbaiah, and others in pivotal roles. It released in theatres on December 20.