Kamal Haasan’s Indian 2 is entering troubled waters, it seems. After taking a strong opening on Friday, the film suffered its first fall on Saturday, which is expected of any front-loaded massy south Indian film. However, most trade experts had banked on the film to recover on Sunday but the opposite happened. Indian 2 slid further down in its collections, raising fears of a below par opening weekend a short lifetime run.
Indian 2, directed by Shankar, is a direct sequel to his and Haasan’s 1996 hit Indian. The original film was a smash hit in Tamil as well as in Telugu and Hindi (where it was released as Baharateeyudu and Hindustani respectively). However, the sequel does not seem to be following in its footsteps. After opening with Rs 25.60 crore net, it registered a drop of 29% on Saturday and then again 15% on Sunday. It’s Sunday haul was just Rs 15.35 crore, meaning its first weekend has ended at Rs 59 crore net, a low number considering its scale and ambitions.
Indian 2’s freefall has meant that in its third week, Kalki 2898 AD has reclaimed the top spot at the Indian box office, pipping both the new releases – Indian 2 and Sarfira. On Sunday, its 18th day in theatres, Nag Ashwin’s Kalki 2898 AD earned Rs 16.45 crore net in India, higher than Indian 2’s Rs 15 crore and Sarfira’s Rs 6 crore. Kalki 2898 AD, a dystopian sci-fi epic starring Amitabh Bachchan, Prabhas, Deepika Padukone, and Kamal Haasan, has galloped towards the Rs 1000-crore mark worldwide.
Indian 2, meanwhile, has reportedly been made on a budget of Rs 150-200 crore. Intended to be the first of two sequels, it sets up the franchise’s conclusion Indian 3, due to release in 2027. But given the current box office trend, it looks difficult for the film to do wonders at the ticket window. Shankar and Kamal Haasan, however, would hope to turn the tide in the days to come.
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