Sonali Kulkarni celebrated The Paradise crossing the ₹100 crore mark at the box office by cutting a chocolate cake with paparazzi on Thursday. The actor, who plays Nani’s mother in the film, expressed her happiness over the milestone despite the mixed reactions the film has received from critics and audiences. The celebration came as the film continued its theatrical run and recorded ₹108 crore in India during its first week, with its worldwide gross reaching ₹158 crore.
Videos shared by paparazzi on social media showed Sonali cutting a cake to mark The Paradise entering the ₹100 crore club. Speaking during the celebration, she expressed her excitement and thanked audiences for supporting the film. “Super happy. Cheers on ₹100 crores, cheers on The Paradise and cheers on my song Sammakka. Thank you everyone. Thank you so much. The Paradise is doing really great,” she said. Her comments came as the film continued to attract attention for both its commercial performance and the varied reactions surrounding its release.
The Paradise had a strong start at the box office, collecting ₹34.65 crore on its opening day. The figure marked the highest opening for a film featuring Nani, giving the movie a strong initial run. However, its collections declined sharply after the opening as the film received mixed reviews from critics and audiences. Despite the slowdown, the film managed to cross the ₹100 crore mark in India within its first week, giving the makers and cast a significant box-office milestone to celebrate.
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The film’s performance has also been accompanied by discussion over the intensity of reactions to its content and presentation. Nani has previously spoken about the response to The Paradise, describing the reactions as extreme compared with what he had experienced during his 18-year career. Sonali’s celebration therefore comes against a backdrop of both commercial success and divided audience response, with the film continuing to perform in theatres after its strong opening.
Directed by Srikanth Odela, The Paradise features Nani, Sonali Kulkarni, Mohan Babu, Kayadu Lohar and Raghav Juyal in key roles. Set in the 1980s, the film centres on the Savaari tribe and their struggle for legal citizenship and recognition. Sonali and Nani portray a mother-son duo involved in the community’s fight against the family of a feudal lord. The story combines the characters’ personal struggles with the wider conflict surrounding the tribe.
The Paradise is backed by Sudhakar Cherukuri and Ishan Saksena under the banners of Sri Lakshmi Venkateshwara Cinemas and IVY Entertainment. With ₹108 crore collected in India during its first week and a worldwide gross of ₹158 crore, the film has crossed the ₹100 crore milestone despite the mixed response following its release. Sonali’s cake-cutting celebration with the paparazzi marked the latest public acknowledgement of the film’s box-office achievement, while its theatrical run continues.
Also Read: Nani’s 'The Paradise' Surpasses ₹100 Crore In Six Days Despite Mixed Reactions From Audiences