Sep 07, 2026 2:54pm IST
Box Office: Nivin Pauly-Mamitha Baiju-starrer ‘Bethlehem Kudumba Unit’ Beats Mohanlal’s ‘Drishyam 3’ To Become The Highest Malayalam Grosser of 2026
Nivin Pauly and Mamitha Baiju’s feel-good drama “Bethlehem Kudumba Unit” has turned out to be box office gold. Despite the arrival of Dulquer Salmaan and Kayadu Lohar’s “I’m Game” last weekend, the film not only remained strong at the ticket windows but emerged as the first choice for cinegoers and registered a better average occupancy.
With a global collection of ₹265.10 crore, it has become the highest Malayalam grosser of the year, surpassing Mohanlal’s “Drishyam 3” (₹239.83 crore) and “Vaazha II: Biopic of a Billion Bros” (₹235.26 crore). Apart from being 2026’s highest-grosser, the film has also become the biggest grosser of the lead actors Nivin Pauly and Mamitha Baiju (in the Malayalam industry).
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While these kinds of milestones are generally inclined towards visual spectacles and big-screen actioners, it is a heartwarming surprise to see a slice-of-life flick achieving this feat.
In fact, it is just over a crore away from Mohanlal and Prithviraj Sukumaran’s “L2: Empuraan” (₹266.81 crore) to become the second-highest Malayalam grosser of all time.
Since there are no big releases in Kerala, “Bethlehem Kudumba Unit” will continue its dominance and may become the second film to cross the ₹300 crore mark at the worldwide box office after Kalyani Priyadarshan’s “Lokah: Chapter 1 - Chandra” (₹303.86 crore).
While the film is the biggest Malayalam hit of the year in the global market, in the domestic circuit, it (₹123.40 crore) still trails “Vaazha II” (₹129.42 crore) and will cross its lifetime business by tomorrow.
Directed by Girish A. D., of “I Am Kathalan,” “Super Sharanya” and “Premalu” fame, the film is produced by Bhavana Studios, Fahadh Faasil, Dileesh Pothan and Syam Pushkaran.
The movie also stars Sangeeth Prathap, Roshan Shanavas, Shyam Mohan and Suresh Krishna, among others, in supporting roles. The music of the film is composed by Vishnu Vijay.
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