The Telugu sports drama Champion, directed by Pradeep Advaitham and starring Roshann Meka in the lead role as a talented footballer navigating pre-independence era challenges, has failed to live up to expectations at the box office. Released on December 25, 2025, the film has grossed a mere ₹18.54 crore worldwide after 18 days, falling short of its ₹45 crore budget and earning the label of a theatrical disaster.
Set in pre-independence Secunderabad, Champion follows Michael C. Williams (Roshann Meka), a gifted athlete chasing his dream of playing in London, only to face unexpected twists. The ensemble cast includes Anaswara Rajan as Tallapudi Chandrakala, Murali Sharma as Sundaraiah, Kalyan Chakravarthy Nandamuri as Raaji Reddy, and Santhosh Prathap in supporting roles. Produced with high hopes as a period action sports film, it aimed to blend historical drama with athletic thrills but has not resonated with audiences.
Breaking down the 18-day collections:
- Telugu States: ₹13.89 crore
- Karnataka: ₹0.97 crore
- Rest of India: ₹1.02 crore
- Total Domestic: ₹15.88 crore
- Overseas: $295,000 (approximately ₹2.66 crore)
This brings the worldwide total to ₹18.54 crore, with a distributor share of just ₹9.20 crore. Early reports showed a decent opening of around ₹2.75-3.2 crore on day one, but collections tapered off quickly, crossing ₹9.15 crore by day six and stalling thereafter. Industry analysts attribute the underperformance to stiff competition from holiday releases and mixed reviews praising the visuals but criticizing the pacing.
Despite strong performances from Meka and Rajan, the film’s inability to sustain momentum highlights the risks in high-budget Telugu cinema. Makers have yet to comment on the figures, but the verdict is clear: Champion has not emerged victorious.