Nivin Pauly, India’s most relatable star has entered a new league at the box office. His latest release, Bethlehem Kudumba Unit, has crossed the ₹300-crore mark worldwide in just 24 days, emerging as the fastest Malayalam film to reach the milestone and surpassing Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra to become the highest-grossing Malayalam film.
Directed by Girish A.D. and starring Nivin Pauly alongside Mamitha Baiju, the Bhavana Studios production has reportedly grossed ₹304.95 crore worldwide in 24 days, according to trade figures cited by The Indian Express. The film has also delivered a significant theatrical run in Kerala, where it has crossed the ₹130-crore mark.
What makes the achievement particularly noteworthy is the pace at which Bethlehem Kudumba Unit has reached these numbers. The film crossed ₹100 crore within five days, ₹200 crore in 12 days, ₹250 crore in 16 days and ₹300 crore in 24 days. In comparison, Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra took around 45 days to reach the ₹300-crore milestone.
The new record also comes at an important point in Nivin Pauly’s career. Following the success of Sarvam Maya, the actor has now delivered another major theatrical performer, giving his current phase a consistency that goes beyond the success of a single film.
For Nivin, whose career has evolved from the much-loved boy-next-door image to a leading man capable of carrying varied genres, Bethlehem Kudumba Unit represents another significant chapter. The film’s performance demonstrates the continuing strength of his audience connect while also highlighting the commercial potential of content-driven Malayalam cinema.
The success is also significant from an industry perspective. Bethlehem Kudumba Unit reportedly comes with a considerably smaller production scale than many of the large-scale films that compete for the ₹300-crore club. Its theatrical performance therefore underlines the growing ability of Malayalam films to travel beyond Kerala and find audiences across India and overseas markets.
The film has reportedly performed strongly across markets outside Kerala as well, with overseas collections making a substantial contribution to its worldwide gross. This wider audience reach adds another dimension to Nivin Pauly’s ₹300-crore milestone, positioning the actor at the centre of Malayalam cinema’s expanding pan-Indian theatrical footprint.
The achievement has also strengthened the conversation around Nivin’s commercial standing. As the actor follows one successful theatrical outing with another, his box-office trajectory is increasingly being viewed through the lens of sustained audience pull rather than a one-film resurgence.
At ₹300 crore and counting, Bethlehem Kudumba Unit has become more than another successful release for Nivin Pauly. It marks a major box-office milestone for the actor, a new benchmark for Malayalam cinema and another indication of how far the industry’s films and stars can now travel.