The Devil advance bookings: National multiplex chains ticket sales delayed for THIS reason

The Devil advance bookings: Has the Akhanda 2 new release date of December 12 affected The Devil? Distributor explains

Darshan fans are very excited about what Prakash Veer is 'cooking'

At 10 am on December 10, with less than 24 hours to go for the release of Challenging Star Darshan’s The Devil, advance bookings at national multiplexes were yet to open. The obvious question to arise was if Nandamuri Balakrishna’s Akhanda 2 also arriving on December 12 had anything to do with. The Boyapati Sreenu directed Telugu film was meant to be in theatres a week ago, but was stayed following a financial dispute.

Multiplexes to have 6.30 am shows of The Devil

OTTplay checked in with Suprith TS of KVN Productions, who is distributing The Devil in Karnataka about this and he said that Akhanda 2 is not the reason for the delay. “The Devil has been censored, but the certificate is yet to be issued, as there were suggestions for a few corrections. National multiplex chains will schedule films only after the receipt of the censor certificate. We should have it in place by afternoon, by which time bookings will open,” he assures.

What’s more, Suprith adds that as of a meeting on December 9, it has been decided that even multiplexes will open with 6.30 am shows on December 11. How will Akhanda 2 impact The Devil, though, considering that the film is opening with paid premieres late on December 11? “Not much. For us, the opening day matters and that’s in control. From Day 2, we don’t mind giving them a couple of shows each at the screens we have right now,” says a bullish Suprith.

In an earlier conversation with OTTplay, Suprith had said that the target was around 300 screens for The Devil, excluding multiplexes, and a show count exceeding 1,200 on Day 1. Karnataka has around 630 single screen and 260 multiplexes. The Devil’s 6.30 am shows are more or less sold out, with those showing fast filling left with a handful of front-row seats only. The film, according to independent trackers, has sold over 1,25,000 in advance sales.

Also read: Darshan Thoogudeepa’s The Devil release advanced to appease actor’s ‘celebrities’

The Devil is expected to get a massive opening, what with the actor’s fans set to make a celebration of it. How it sustains after the first show is what matters. A quick look at ticket aggregators for December 12, 13 and 14 is currently not very promising, but that is expected to improve based on word-of-mouth from the first show. The trailer has sparked excitement that director Prakash Veer has put together a stylish action entertainer, but whether there is substance too remains to be seen.

The Devil FAQs

Q. What was Darshan Thoogudeepa's last release?

A. Darshan Thoogudeepa was last seen onscreen in 2023's Kaatera , which is available on Z5 (via OTTplay Premium also).

Q. What is Darshan's next film?

A. Darshan's next is The Devil, which has him reuniting with Tarak maker Prakash Veer. The film had been announced as a December 12, 2025 release, but has now been advanced by a day. The film is being released in the actor's absence, as he is currently in jail in connection with the Renukaswamy murder case.

Q. List the cast of The Devil

A. The Devil is led by Darshan Thoogudeepa, who is paired with Rachana Rai. The film also stars Mahesh Manjrekar, Achyuth Kumar, Vinay Gowda, Chandu B Gowda, among many others.

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