Indian 2 box office collections: Kamal Haasan and Shankar film CRASHED on Monday

Indian 2 is likely to be pulled from most theatres after the first week. Consequently, it could wrap up its full theatrical run under Rs. 100 crore in India.

By Jatinder Singh

Published on Jul 16, 2024 | 03:18 PM IST | 265.1K

Kamal Haasan in Indian 2 (image courtesy of Lyca Studios)

Indian 2 crashed at the box office on Monday, grossing just Rs. 5 crore approx, plummeting 75 per cent from Sunday. After four days of release, the total gross of the film stands at Rs. 77.50 crore approx. Looking ahead, the first week is projected to be around Rs. 87-88 crore. Given the current trend, the film is likely to be pulled from most theatres after the first week. Consequently, the film could wrap up its full theatrical run under Rs. 100 crore in India.

Indian 2 is the sequel to the 1996 release Indian, which is one of the biggest blockbusters in the history of the Tamil film industry, if not the biggest. The film grossed Rs. 58 crore domestically back in the day, which adjusted for inflation, is equivalent to Rs. 800 crore approx today. For a follow-up to that film to bomb this badly is disheartening. Director Shankar’s previous two films, I and 2.0, were deemed underperformers but even they managed to put in blockbuster numbers. However, here the film has simply tanked, failing to put even the face-saving numbers.

The negative reception ultimately sealed the fate of Indian 2, but the journey was rocky from the start. Originally announced in September 2017, production didn't commence until 2019, leaving the project somewhat dormant. It was only revitalized by the blockbuster success of Vikram. The sequel was then split into two parts, the second part slated for release next year. However, given the response to Indian 2, it's difficult to see it performing any better. Maybe the franchise value of the original was not as potent as thought but a better-planned film could have probably turned out better.