Pranav Mohanlal’s latest outing Dies Irae has stormed into cinemas with record-breaking numbers, emerging as the biggest A-rated Malayalam opener to date. The horror thriller, written and directed by Rahul Sadasivan, released on October 31 to packed houses across Kerala and beyond, and is now expected to post an even bigger figure on its first Sunday.
According to early trade reports, Dies Irae has surpassed Unni Mukundan’s 2024 violent actioner Marco to claim the top spot among A-rated Malayalam releases. The film is estimated to have grossed nearly ₹12 crore worldwide on its opening day, including paid premieres, and continued its strong momentum into Saturday. With advance bookings showing robust demand and over 230 late-night shows reported across the state on Saturday, Sunday’s collections are expected to propel the film towards a phenomenal opening weekend.
Dies Irae stars Pranav as Rohan, a privileged young man whose seemingly extravagant life spirals out of control following a mysterious death that forces him to confront his inner fears. The cast also includes Gibin Gopinath, Sushmita Bhat, Jaya Kurup and Arun Ajikumar. The film marks Rahul’s third consecutive success in the horror space after Bhoothakaalam and Bramayugam. True to his style, the filmmaker blends psychological unease with the supernatural, crafting a chilling atmosphere that has earned widespread praise from both audiences and critics.
With positive word-of-mouth spreading rapidly, trade analysts predict a massive Sunday for Dies Irae. The film has already crossed the ₹10 crore mark in just two days in Kerala alone and is inching towards a global total of ₹25 crore. If the current trend continues, it could be heading for one of the strongest opening weekends ever for a Malayalam horror film.
