Desk Correspondent , Thiruvananthapuram - Malayalam fantasy comedy Aadu 3, starring Jayasurya, has emerged as one of the biggest commercial successes of 2026, crossing the ₹109-111 crore mark worldwide and now eyeing the all‑time record set by Lucifer. The film’s global gross stands at roughly ₹111.17 crore, with around ₹45–50 crore net in India and over ₹60 crore from overseas, making it one of the top‑grossing Malayalam films abroad and the first Malayalam release of 2026 to cross ₹100 crore worldwide.

Directed by Midhun Manuel Thomas and produced by Vijay Babu and Venu Kunnappilly, Aadu 3 follows the multi‑timeline antics of former forest officer Innocent Chettan, blending past, present, and future in a quirky, family friendly, fantasy, comedy that has drawn crowds despite mixed reviews. The film’s overseas performance is particularly striking, with its overseas tally of about ₹60.15 crore placing Aadu 3 as the 7th highest grossing Malayalam film of all time in the overseas market, just ahead of Aadujeevitham: The Goat Life, and on track to overtake Sarvam Maya and possibly 2018.

Now, the trade spotlight is on whether Aadu 3 can challenge Lucifer’s ₹127.50 crore worldwide record, early reports note that the film is still running steadily in the second week, picking up solid weekday numbers and firmly establishing the Aadu franchise as one of Mollywood’s rare cases where the first installment flopped but the sequels became blockbuster hits. With producer and theatre‑owner comments calling the performance “unimaginable” at the start, Aadu 3 is shaping up as a defining box office story of 2026 for Malayalam cinema.