In Kerala, Malayalam franchise comedy film stays miles ahead of Dhurandhar 2 despite clash

Still from Aadu 3

Several films changed their release dates to avoid clashing with Aditya Dhar's Dhurandhar: The Revenge. Witnessing the historic box-office performance of Dhurandhar, trade analysts expected the sequel to the Ranveer Singh starrer to outperform the first instalment. While the film enjoyed a solo release in the Hindi belt, screens in the South were shared with regional releases.

Aadu 3 beats Dhurandhar 2 in Kerala

In Kerala, Dhurandhar 2 clashed with Jayasurya's comedy franchise film Aadu 3. The Malayalam franchise was among the most anticipated releases in the state. Despite the Dhurandhar craze across the country, Aadu 3 has already emerged as Jayasurya's biggest box-office hit.

Starring Jayasurya, Saiju Kurup, Vinayakan, Renji Panicker, Vijay Babu, Sunny Wayne, Dharmajan Bolgatty, Bhagath Manuel, Indrans, and others, the Malayalam film turned out to be a major commercial success. By the end of Day 4, Aadu 3 collected Rs 27.50 crore in Kerala alone, while Dhurandhar 2 managed ₹9.20 crore in the state during the same period.

Meanwhile, Aadu 3's worldwide collection stands at Rs 66.17 crore in three days. The film is expected to close its opening weekend with a worldwide gross of Rs 85 crore and above. It is set to become the second-highest Mollywood opener of all time after Mohanlal's Empuraan, which collected Rs 175.6 crore.

Aadu 3 is the third instalment in the popular Malayalam comedy franchise that began with Aadu and continued with Aadu 2. The series follows the chaotic misadventures of Shaji Pappan and his eccentric gang, blending slapstick humour with quirky rural crime capers. The third part continues with the gang's rivalry-filled antics and absurd escapades. The earlier films gained cult status for their irreverent comedy, memorable characters, and viral dialogues, making the franchise one of Malayalam cinema's most beloved comedy entertainers.

About Dhurandhar: The Revenge

Dhurandhar: The Revenge, directed by Aditya Dhar, released on March 19, 2026, and it has already grossed over Rs 600 crore worldwide in just four days. The sequel to Dhurandhar (2025), stars Ranveer Singh, R Madhavan, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, Sara Arjun, Akshaye Khanna, and Rakesh Bedi in key roles. The film also has a cameo by Yami Gautam.