The Third Case may have started strong at the box office, but its momentum appears to be slowing by Day 3. The film, which released on May 1 as the third installment in Sailesh Kolanu’s HIT (Homicide Intervention Team) franchise, opened to mixed-to-positive reviews and a solid first-day performance. However, Saturday saw a noticeable dip in collections.
Box Office Performance
According to early estimates reported by Sacnilk, HIT: The Third Case earned ₹8.57 crore on its first Saturday (Day 3), bringing its total domestic net collection to ₹40.07 crore. The film had earlier amassed ₹10.5 crore on Day 2, pushing its two-day total to ₹31 crore and surpassing the lifetime earnings of its predecessors.
The regional breakdown of earnings shows strong dominance in Telugu-speaking regions, with ₹20.25 crore from Telugu alone. The film also pulled in smaller amounts from Tamil (₹0.35 crore), Kannada (₹0.05 crore), Hindi (₹0.25 crore), and Malayalam (₹0.1 crore).
Competing with Suriya’s Retro
Despite the dip in collections, HIT: The Third Case continues to perform better than Suriya’s Retro, which was also released on May 1. Retro has collected ₹31.48 crore at the domestic box office as of Day 3, significantly trailing behind Nani’s film. While Retro received praise for Suriya’s action performance, it was also criticized for its slow pacing.
About the Film
Directed by Sailesh Kolanu, HIT: The Third Case features Nani and Srinidhi Shetty in lead roles, along with Surya Srinivas, Rao Ramesh, Nepoleon, and Komalee Prasad in key supporting parts. Produced under the banners of Wall Poster Cinema and Unanimous Productions, the film continues the franchise’s tradition of dark, character-driven crime thrillers.
Critical Response
The film has been particularly noted for Nani’s compelling performance. According to The Hindustan Times, “HIT: The Third Case shines when it comes to Nani’s performance and the super-fun cameos. If you thought Nani in V (2020) should’ve been written better, well, this is it.”
The character of Arjun, played by Nani, is a departure from previous HIT protagonists. Unlike Vikram Rudraraju from HIT 1 or KD from HIT 2, Arjun is portrayed as a tactless yet intense investigator—giving Nani room to balance a mix of psychotic energy and humor.
Final Thoughts
Despite the Day 3 slowdown, HIT: The Third Case maintains a strong lead over competition and has already surpassed the performance of earlier films in the franchise. With Nani’s magnetic performance at its core and a solid start, the film may yet continue to build momentum in the coming days.
Sources By Agencies
