OG Beats Coolie, Sets New Premiere Record in North America

Telugu films usually make a big impact overseas, especially in North America where premieres set the tone for box office success. In 2025, only a few films managed to open strongly, and Coolie in August stood out with $3.04 million from its premieres — the highest for any Indian film this year.

Now, Pawan Kalyan’s They Call Him OG has gone one step ahead. The film released worldwide on Thursday with huge expectations. In Telugu states, it registered the biggest opening day numbers of 2025 so far, supported by good word of mouth from audiences.

In North America, OG had premieres on Wednesday and collected $3.13 million. This is not only the highest premiere gross of 2025 but also Pawan Kalyan’s career-best opening day in the region. The film now stands as the fourth biggest Telugu premiere ever, only behind Kalki 2898 AD ($3.9M), RRR ($3.5M), and Pushpa 2: The Rule ($3.34M).

Early reports suggest that advance bookings for Thursday are also strong, and the film is expected to have a solid weekend at the North America box office.

They Call Him OG stars Pawan Kalyan, Emraan Hashmi, Priyanka Arul Mohan, Arjun Das, Sriya Reddy, and Prakash Raj. The film is directed by Sujeeth, with music by Thaman S, and produced by DVV Danayya and Kalyan Dasari under DVV Entertainments.