Exhibitors in Keralam jubilant as Rajinikanth’s Jailer 2 earns record first-day collections

The euphoric box-office response to veteran actor Rajinikanth’s movie Jailer 2 has given a fresh lease of life to exhibitors in Keralam.With a record box-office opening day collection, theatres are planning additional shows to cash in on the positive response among moviegoers. The extended holidays in connection with the Navaratri celebrations are expected to boost the collections, according to estimates by the associations of film exhibitors.“The movie has earned a Keralam gross of about ₹12.65 crore on the first day of release. This is a record for a Tamil movie released in the State in terms of the first-day collections,” said Suresh Shenoy, member of the executive committee of the Film Exhibitors’ United Organisation of Kerala (FEUOK).“The previous record for a Tamil movie was held by actor Vijay’s Leo, which had earned a total gross of about ₹12 crore on the first day. Jailer 2 had also seen impressive advanced bookings matching its pre-release hype,” he said.The exhibitors are hopeful that the impressive collections for the movie would help them sail through October in view of the possibility of its extended run.P.V. Basheer Ahamed, president of Kerala Film Exhibitors’ Association, pointed out that the blockbuster Malayalam movie Bethlehem Kudumba Unit released on August 21, 2026was a major relief for the industry after going through a mixed patch since the start of 2026. “With rising maintenance and operational expenses, we need a sustained release of movies that can draw audiences to the cinema halls,” he said.The record opening for Jailer 2 was visible in the number of shows screened by theatres across Keralam.K. Vijayakumar, former president of FEUOK, said several theatres had held screenings for 18 continuous hours on the first day. “The momentum is expected to remain high in the weekend and extend to the next week in view of the Puja holidays till Wednesday,” he said. Published - October 16, 2026 12:17 pm IST