Kochi, India — The wrestling ring has turned into a box-office battlefield for Malayalam cinema’s latest entrant, Chatha Pacha: The Ring of Rowdies, which stormed theatres with a whopping ₹7.73 crore gross on its opening day worldwide.
The action-comedy, centred on a ragtag group of friends in Fort Kochi who dive headfirst into desi pro-wrestling, hit screens on January 22 and immediately tapped into the nostalgia for old-school WWF mania. Early estimates pegged a solid start in Kerala alone, but the global figures — boosted by strong overseas response, especially in North America and the Gulf — pushed it into blockbuster territory right out of the gate.
Directed by Advaith Nair, the film stars Arjun Ashokan, Roshan Mathew, and Vishak Nair as the rowdy leads, with a cameo from Mammootty adding extra buzz. It’s got everything fans have been raving about: high-energy fights, laugh-out-loud moments, and that raw, crowd-pleasing vibe reminiscent of Hulk Hogan and John Cena’s prime. Music by Shankar Ehsaan Loy has been another highlight, with tracks already trending.
Trade analysts weren’t entirely shocked. “The trailer promised scale and spectacle, and the wrestling theme clicked with younger audiences craving something fun and different,” said one Kochi-based distributor. Occupancy in Kerala hovered around 40-50% on day one, but packed houses for evening and night shows helped rack up the numbers. Overseas, early reports show over $25K gross in the US and Canada, with more markets still counting.
Reviews have been mostly positive, praising the film’s unapologetic embrace of over-the-top drama and its heartfelt take on friendship and ambition. A few critics noted it leans heavy on nostalgia and could have tightened the script, but audiences seem unbothered — social media is flooded with clips of theatre crowds cheering the big fight sequences.
For Malayalam industry watchers, this opening feels like a shot in the arm after a mixed 2025. With no major clashes this weekend, Chatha Pacha looks set for a strong hold through the Republic Day holiday period. If word-of-mouth stays this electric, it could easily challenge some of the bigger openers from last year.
As the rowdies would say — the ring is just getting started.
