The Baby reunion has generated curiosity, but Epic – First Semester is facing mixed word-of-mouth after a ₹2.10 crore opening day and ₹1.30 crore Day 2 India net collection.
Ultapalta Khabar Entertainment Desk: Anand Deverakonda and Vaishnavi Chaitanya are back together on the big screen, but their latest romantic drama Epic – First Semester is having a surprisingly quiet run at the box office. Released in theatres on September 11, the Telugu-language film opened with reasonable curiosity because of the popular Baby pairing, but the early numbers suggest that audience expectations and theatrical response are not completely aligned.
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According to the latest figures available, Epic – First Semester has collected around ₹5.60 crore worldwide in two days, including approximately ₹3.40 crore India net, ₹3.95 crore India gross and around ₹1.65 crore from overseas markets.
The film’s Day 1 India net collection stood at approximately ₹2.10 crore, while Day 2 saw the collection fall to around ₹1.30 crore.
That drop makes Sunday particularly important.
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Epic Box Office Collection Day 2
Epic – First Semester reportedly collected around ₹1.30 crore India net on Day 2, taking its two-day India net total to approximately ₹3.40 crore.
The Day 1 opening of ₹2.10 crore was considered modest for a film bringing Anand Deverakonda and Vaishnavi Chaitanya together again after the enormous popularity of Baby. The second-day decline indicates that the initial curiosity around the reunion has not yet translated into strong theatrical momentum.
The worldwide figure, however, has received some support from overseas markets, with the film estimated to have collected approximately ₹1.65 crore overseas in its first two days.
The big question now is simple: Can Sunday bring the film back into the game?
A strong third day could give Epic the breathing room it needs, particularly if positive word-of-mouth improves among younger audiences.
Why Was There So Much Hype Around Epic?
The biggest attraction was obviously the reunion of Anand Deverakonda and Vaishnavi Chaitanya.
Their pairing became widely recognised after Baby, and audiences were naturally curious to see whether their chemistry could work again in a completely different story.
This time, the setting is London, and the story moves beyond a conventional love triangle or straightforward romantic drama.
Anand plays Aditya, a young man who travels abroad for higher studies while carrying his own ambitions, frustrations and family expectations. Vaishnavi plays Kadali, and their relationship becomes intertwined with questions about love, independence, responsibility and the practical realities of living away from home.
That gives Epic a more mature emotional territory than its promotional buzz might initially suggest.
Epic Is More Than Just a Love Story
Director Aditya Hasan attempts to use the romance as a window into the lives of young Indians living abroad.
London is not presented simply as a glamorous foreign backdrop. The film explores loneliness, financial pressure, cultural differences, family expectations and the uncomfortable reality that studying abroad does not automatically mean living a dream life.
The film also touches upon the identity crisis experienced by young people who are caught between what their families expect and what they personally want.
That social layer is one of the reasons the movie has attracted appreciation from some viewers.
However, the same ambition has also become a talking point among critics. While the performances and chemistry have received praise, the film has faced criticism over its pacing, second-half momentum and climax.
In other words, Epic has plenty to say, but not everyone agrees with how effectively it says it.
Anand Deverakonda’s Big Test After Baby
For Anand Deverakonda, Epic is an important theatrical release.
The actor has been away from theatres for around two years, making this comeback particularly significant. More importantly, he is returning with a film that asks him to carry an emotionally driven character rather than simply depend on star value.
Aditya is a student who is not entirely comfortable with the life he has entered. His dreams, relationship and family responsibilities constantly collide.
That gives Anand enough space to showcase vulnerability and emotional depth.
The challenge, however, is that Baby created enormous expectations around Anand and Vaishnavi. Audiences who walk into Epic expecting another high-voltage emotional romantic drama may find the film considerably different.
And that difference could ultimately become either the film’s biggest strength or its biggest commercial weakness.
Vaishnavi Chaitanya Takes a Different Route
Vaishnavi Chaitanya is also making an interesting career move with Epic.
After becoming one of the most recognisable young Telugu actresses following Baby, she could easily have chosen another conventional commercial romance.
Instead, Kadali gives her a character situated within a more complicated relationship and social environment.
The film also reportedly generated pre-release attention around certain bold and intimate scenes. Director Aditya Hasan had publicly defended the creative choices and said he would take responsibility if controversy emerged.
That makes Epic an important performance for Vaishnavi as she attempts to move beyond being identified solely with her Baby image.
Mixed Reviews Could Decide the Box Office
The biggest problem for Epic right now is not necessarily competition alone.
It is word-of-mouth.
The film has received appreciation for the chemistry between Anand and Vaishnavi, its emotional moments and its attempt to portray the reality of Indian students abroad.
At the same time, some reviews have criticised the slow portions, incomplete character development and an ending that does not provide the kind of emotional closure some viewers expect.
This creates a classic box-office situation.
If audiences who enjoy the film start recommending it strongly, the movie could see a Sunday jump and potentially benefit from the coming weekdays.
But if the mixed response continues, the film could struggle to maintain momentum after the opening weekend.
Rashmika Mandanna Adds Another Boost
Epic also received an unexpected promotional boost from Rashmika Mandanna, who praised the film and described it as different, important and relevant.
Such support from a popular star can generate additional social-media curiosity, especially among younger viewers.
For a film whose story is heavily targeted at the youth audience, online conversations could become extremely important during the first weekend.
The movie also benefited from promotional buzz surrounding the “Sancharame” song, which featured Vijay Deverakonda, Anand Deverakonda and Vaishnavi Chaitanya.
The reunion factor clearly exists.
The challenge now is converting that digital buzz into theatre footfalls.
What Does ₹5.60 Crore Worldwide Mean for Epic?
A two-day worldwide collection of approximately ₹5.60 crore is not disastrous, but it is certainly not the explosive start that a reunion of the Baby pair might have suggested.
The film’s eventual success will depend heavily on its budget, theatrical share, weekday stability and overseas performance.
The exact recovery target and final trade outcome will become clearer as the theatrical run progresses.
For now, the most important number is not the two-day total but the trend.
If Sunday’s collections rise significantly, Epic could still create a respectable first weekend.
If the Sunday jump remains limited, the film may find itself fighting an uphill battle during the weekdays.
Could Epic Lead to a Sequel?
Interestingly, the film’s narrative reportedly leaves room for continuation, with the possibility of Epic Final Semester becoming the next chapter.
That could turn the current theatrical performance into an important learning experience for the makers.
If audiences connect strongly with the characters despite the mixed response, a sequel could potentially build on the emotional investment created by the first film.
For Aditya Hasan, meanwhile, Epic represents a major step from his earlier work into feature-film storytelling.
His ability to deal with contemporary youth issues is clearly attracting attention, but the box office will ultimately determine whether this experiment becomes a major franchise opportunity.
The Weekend Verdict
Epic – First Semester has not exploded at the box office, but it is far from being an irrelevant release either.
With approximately ₹3.40 crore India net and ₹5.60 crore worldwide after two days, the film now needs a strong Sunday to prove that its theatrical journey has more fuel left.
The Anand Deverakonda-Vaishnavi Chaitanya reunion created the opening curiosity. The real test is whether the film itself can create sustained audience interest.
For now, Epic is caught between hype and word-of-mouth.
The chemistry is working for many viewers. The subject is contemporary. The performances have found appreciation. But the pacing and second-half complaints are preventing the film from becoming the runaway romantic drama some expected.
Sunday, therefore, is not just another day at the box office.
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Note: Box office figures are estimates from various sources and have not been independently verified by Ulta Palta Khabar.
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