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Box Office: Ne Zha 2 opens with Rs 50L in India, strong start for non-Hollywood animated film
Ne Zha 2 opens strong in India with a Rs 50 lakh day-one collection, building on its global success and highlighting growing interest in non-Hollywood releases.
Ne Zha 2 has made a strong impression in India, opening to Rs 50 lakh on its first day (April 25). This is a promising start for a non-Hollywood animated film, especially considering the dominance of Western studios in the animation space. The film’s performance in the country aligns with the reception it received elsewhere in the world.
Written and directed by Jiaozi, Ne Zha 2 is a direct sequel to the 2019 animation hit Ne Zha. Based on Chinese mythology and Xu Zhonglin’s 16th-century novel Investiture of the Gods, the sequel has already achieved global success. Since its release in China on January 29, 2025, coinciding with Chinese New Year, Ne Zha 2 has grossed over USD 2.1 billion worldwide, setting multiple box office records. It now stands as the highest-grossing animated film ever, the first non-English language film to cross USD 2 billion, and the highest-grossing film of 2025 so far.
In India, Warner Bros. India made a strategic decision to release Ne Zha 2 in a Hindi-dubbed format, which could be a factor driving its sales. Along with Hindi, the film is also available with Tamil and Telugu subtitles, as well as in the original Mandarin audio with English subtitles. However, the studio has opted not to release an English dub for Indian theaters, focusing instead on the authenticity of the storytelling experience.
Ne Zha 2 has also been released on IMAX screens across the country, offering audiences a visually immersive experience fitting the film’s grand fantasy scale. The premium format rollout is expected to further boost its box office numbers in the coming days.
The film continues the story of Ne Zha and Ao Bing after their bodies are destroyed by heavenly lightning. Their journey to regain their forms and protect their homeland from new threats forms the emotional and action-packed core of the sequel. Critics and audiences praised the film’s visuals, emotional depth, and scale—many even calling it better than the original, which earned over USD 700 million globally.
Watch the trailer HERE:
With a strong start and positive word of mouth, Ne Zha 2’s journey in India looks good. Its success could pave the way for more Chinese films to find an audience in India, which currently mostly features Hollywood content.
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