The anticipation for Akshay Kumar's return to the horror-comedy genre is beginning to reflect at the box office as the advance booking for Bhooth Bangla officially opens. Slated for a grand release, the film is set to kickstart its journey with special paid previews starting from 9 PM onwards on April 16, 2026. Early trends suggest that the audience is particularly keen on these late-night screenings, with the national chains showing a consistent upward trajectory in ticket sales throughout the day.
For the opening day, Bhooth Bangla has recorded an initial all-India advance booking gross of ₹14.3 Lac (excluding block seats). When including block seats, the figure significantly jumps to approximately ₹40 Lac, indicating that exhibitors are optimistic about a strong turnout. The film has currently sold over 8,214 tickets for Day 1 across 3,005 shows with an average ticket price of ₹226. While the numbers are in the early stages, the momentum gathered in the final hours of Tuesday suggests a healthy opening is on the cards.
The performance in National Chains (PVR, INOX, and Cinepolis) has been the highlight of the day. The Paid Previews, in particular, saw a massive jump in interest. Starting with nearly 2,000 tickets sold by Tuesday morning, the count surged to over 4,300 by the evening and finally settled at approximately 6,200 tickets by late night. This evening surge for paid previews showcases a clear preference for the night-owl audience. Similarly, Day 1 advance bookings in these chains showed strong momentum, growing from around 2,800 tickets in the afternoon to over 5,600 by the close of the day.
Bhooth Bangla Day 1: Top Performing States (Advance Booking)
| STATE | GROSS (WITH BLOCK SEATS) | SHOWS |
|---|
| Gujarat | ₹ 9.74 Lac | 489 |
| Delhi | ₹ 6.26 Lac | 510 |
| Madhya Pradesh | ₹ 5.74 Lac | 175 |
| Maharashtra | ₹ 5.35 Lac | 524 |
| Rajasthan | ₹ 3.97 Lac | 185 |
| West Bengal | ₹ 3.04 Lac | 177 |
On a regional level, West Bengal is currently leading the pack with an impressive 26 percent occupancy for its initial show count. Other major markets like Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Delhi are also showing steady movement, primarily in premium properties. Combined with the paid previews, the total ticket sales in national chains have crossed the 12,000 mark within the first 24 hours of full-scale booking. With BookMyShow recording nearly 7,000 new interests in just a single day, the buzz around Bhooth Bangla is expected to intensify as the film approaches its Thursday night previews and the big Friday release.