The Diplomat Box Office Day 1 Trends: John Abraham and Sadia Khateeb starrer starts slow despite Holi holiday benefit

John Abraham’s The Diplomat debuts slow at the box office despite the Holi holiday. The political thriller, inspired by real events, centers on a high-stakes diplomatic mission.

Written by Seema Sinha , Entertainment Journalist

Updated on Mar 14, 2025 | 06:10 PM IST | 24K

Picture Courtesy: T-Series

John Abraham is back with another political drama! His latest outing, The Diplomat, debuted in theaters today, coinciding with the Holi holiday. Despite the festive advantage, the film is set to register a slow start at the box office. Our estimates suggest it will likely net between Rs 2 and 4 crore on its opening day, reflecting a tepid response from audiences.

Directed by Shivam Nair and written by Ritesh Shah, The Diplomat is a signature John Abraham action drama that draws inspiration from real-life events. The film stars the actor as J.P. Singh, an Indian diplomat stationed in Islamabad, Pakistan, who becomes embroiled in a high-stakes international case. The plot revolves around Uzma Ahmed, played by Sadia Khateeb, an Indian woman who seeks refuge at the Indian embassy after being allegedly abducted and forced into marriage. As Singh navigates legal and diplomatic hurdles, the story unfolds as a tense political thriller.

The film’s supporting cast includes Kumud Mishra as a senior diplomat, Sharib Hashmi as a journalist investigating the case, and Revanthy as a senior government advisor—a role reportedly inspired by the late Foreign Minister of India, Sushma Swaraj. Blending real-world political tensions between India and Pakistan, The Diplomat aims to tell a compelling story about human rights—or the lack thereof.

Despite a relevant and engaging premise, The Diplomat is poised to struggle on its first day if footfalls so far are any indication. The muted opening could be attributed to multiple factors, including a repetitive narrative, which, if we might say, could be viewed as too serious for a festive day. Who knows—the film could have benefited more had it arrived on Republic Day, Independence Day, or even Kargil Vijay Diwas in July, for that matter.

However, The Diplomat still has the potential to grow through positive word of mouth, especially given John’s past success with patriotic, action-packed films like Parmanu and Batla House. Before passing any judgments, we’ll wait until Monday to analyze the film’s weekend performance.

With its real-life-inspired narrative, The Diplomat aims to shed light on the workings of the Indian government on the global stage. While its initial box office numbers are underwhelming, its fate will ultimately depend on audience reception in the coming days.