Mumbai: In a sharp criticism, filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has questioned the authenticity of the box office figures shared by the team behind Ram Charan’s latest release, Game Changer. Known for his outspoken nature, Varma took to social media to expose the alleged discrepancies, claiming that the numbers were fabricated, and warning that such practices could damage the credibility of South Indian cinema.
The controversy began when the makers of Game Changer claimed that the political thriller earned ₹186 crore worldwide on its opening day. This staggering figure established the film as one of the biggest Indian box office openers after cinematic giants like Pushpa 2, RRR and Baahubali 2. However, several trade reports paint a different picture, with collections estimated to be between ₹80-100. Ten million.
If the cost of GC was around Rs 450 crore, then the extraordinary visual appeal of RRR never seen before should have cost Rs 4500 crore and if the first day collection of GC film is Rs 186 crore, then the collection of Pushpa 2 is Rs 1,860 crore. Should have been Rs.. The issue is that the basic requirement of… Ram Gopal Varma RGVzoomin 13 January 2025
If ssrajamouli And Sukumar Writings With Telugu cinema skyrocketing collections to fantastically stratospheric heights in real time, sending legitimate shock waves across Bollywood, the people behind GC have succeeded in proving that the South is much more fabulous.
Ram Gopal Varma RGVZoomin 13 January 2025
Varma addressed these discrepancies on Twitter, saying, “If Game Changer made ₹186 crore on its first day, Pushpa 2 should have collected ₹1,860 crore! The lie must at least appear believable. These fabricated numbers insult the real achievements of South Indian cinema.
The filmmaker compared the claims of the game changer to the undeniable success of South Indian blockbusters like Baahubali, RRR, KGF 2 and Kantara. According to Varma, these films have set a benchmark through legitimate hard work and storytelling, and their legacy is in danger of being diluted by misleading claims of game changers.
He commented, “Thanks to Baahubali, RRR and others, Telugu cinema reached unparalleled heights. But such fake claims raise unnecessary doubts about the credibility of the industry.”
Although Varma did not directly implicate the film’s producer Dil Raju, he questioned the source of the inflated numbers. “Dil Raju is an experienced producer and realist; He would never resort to such tactics. Someone else must be behind this harmful misrepresentation,” he said.
Despite early-day claims, the game changer has struggled to maintain momentum. The political thriller, directed by Shankar and featuring Kiara Advani alongside Ram Charan, saw a huge drop in collections after the weekend. Even after four days of release, the domestic net collection has still not crossed Rs 100 crore, raising doubts over the long-term performance of the film.
The increased numbers have sparked widespread debate among fans and trade insiders. While Ram Charan’s fan base stands behind the film, many within the industry are demanding greater transparency in box office reporting.
