Christmas box office clash in Karnataka: Kiccha Sudeep's Mark opens stronger than Shiva Rajkumar's 45 with higher occupancy and collections

Christmas box office clash in Karnataka: Kiccha Sudeep's Mark opens stronger than Shiva Rajkumar's 45 with higher occupancy and collections

• Mark earned Rs 6.25 crore on Day 1, topping Karnataka's Christmas box office.
• Mark saw 81.87 percent occupancy, while 45 managed 69.21 percent on opening day
• Sudeep's Mark benefited from strong word-of-mouth and holiday family audiences

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The Christmas box office battle in Karnataka delivered a clear early verdict as Mark, starring Kiccha Sudeep, surged ahead of 45, led by Shiva Rajkumar and Upendra, on their opening day. Both films released on Thursday, December 25, hoping to capitalise on festive footfalls, but early numbers show that Mark struck a stronger chord with audiences across the state.

On Day 1, Mark collected an impressive Rs 6.25 crore nett at the domestic box office, comfortably outperforming 45, which earned Rs 4.25 crore nett (gross minus taxes). The difference was not just in revenue but also in audience turnout, with Mark registering significantly higher occupancy figures throughout the day.

Mark recorded an overall Kannada occupancy of 81.87 per cent on its opening day, placing it among the strongest launches of the year in the region. The film showed a clear upward trend as the day progressed. Morning shows opened at a decent 62.06 per cent, but occupancies jumped sharply in the afternoon to 90.75 per cent.

Evening and night shows remained consistently strong at 88.01 per cent and 86.67 per cent, respectively. Trade observers attribute this surge to positive early word-of-mouth, Sudeep’s fan following, and the advantage of a holiday release that encouraged family audiences and repeat footfalls. Several single screens and multiplexes in tier-two and tier-three cities reportedly ran to near-full houses by evening.

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In comparison, 45 saw a slower start despite its star power. The film posted an overall occupancy of 69.21 per cent on Day 1. Morning shows were comparatively weak at 44.56 per cent, indicating softer initial traction. While the numbers improved as the day went on, with afternoon occupancy at 76.04 per cent, evening at 78.91 per cent, and night shows at 77.34 per cent, the film could not match Mark’s pace or momentum.

With stronger occupancies, higher collections, and a visible upward trend through the day, the opening round of the Christmas box office clash clearly belongs to Mark. The coming weekend will determine whether Sudeep’s film can sustain this lead or if 45 manages to close the gap through word-of-mouth and holiday-driven growth.