Nivin Pauly and Mamitha Baiju starrer Bethlehem Kudumba Unit has grossed over Rs 220 cr in 13 days (Photo: Film poster)
Hyderabad: Nivin Pauly is basking in the success of his latest release Bethlehem Kudumba Unit (BKU). The film directed by Premalu fame Girish AD hit screens during Onam and has grossed over Rs 220 crore worldwide in just 13 days. Bethlehem Kudumba Unit has become Nivin’s biggest box-office hit so far.
In a recent interview with a webloid, Nivin attributed BKU’s success to the team’s collaborative effort. “Yes, this is my biggest hit so far. All credit goes to the team, especially director Girish AD. It was a wonderful script.” Nivin, 41 is paired romantically with Mamitha Baiju, 25, in the film. Talking about what worked in the film’s favour, Nivin shared what resonated well with audiences, particularly families. “The age-gap romance, the packaging, the humour… everything landed,” actor opined.
He said another important factor that boosted BKU at the box office is the strategic release timing. “Producers Fahadh Faasil, Syam Pushkaran and Dileesh Pothan of Bhavana Studios locked an Onam release much earlier, and family audiences lapped it up,” Nivin shared.
BKU has surpassed the previous record set by Nivin’s earlier film Sarvam Maya, which collected nearly Rs 150 crore worldwide during its Christmas 2025 release. Achieving such high numbers in both domestic and international markets marks a first for the actor and a rare feat for Malayalam cinema.
The film is running successfully in its third week at the box office and is showcasing remarkable stability in its earnings. The film has now become the fourth Malayalam movie to cross the Rs 100 Crore mark in Kerala gross, with a current worldwide gross of Rs 231.25 Crore. If the momentum continues and BKU remains unfazed by Dulquer Salmaan’s new release I’m Game, it will zoom past Drishyam 3 and Vaazha 2 to become the top Malayalam grosser of 2026.
Talking about audience reception, the actor said, “Family audiences are the backbone of Indian cinema, in any language. If families like a film, ticket sales soar.”
Coming up next for Nivin is the Tamil film Yezhu Kadal Yezhu Malai in October. In addition, he is working on a Malayalam film tentatively titled NP51, which will be a family entertainer featuring humor and romance, targeting a release around Vishu in April 2027.