Box office: Hrithik-Deepika's 'Fighter' soars past Rs. 60 crore
The much-awaited war action drama Fighter, starring Hrithik Roshan and Deepika Padukone, has taken the box office by storm. Released on Thursday (January 25), the film has raked in over a whopping Rs. 60 crore in India within just two days. Directed by Siddharth Anand, this patriotic tribute to the Indian armed forces boasts a stellar cast, including Anil Kapoor and Karan Singh Grover, among others.
Why does this story matter?
A highly-anticipated film, Fighter marked the first big Bollywood release of 2024 and had a solo release in cinema halls. Releasing a day before the Republic Day holiday, the film will also enjoy an extended weekend, expected to boost its collections. The movie marks the third collaboration between Roshan and Anand after their previous two success, Bang Bang! and War, which were released in 2014 and 2019, respectively.
'Fighter' registered impressive growth on day 2
On its first Friday, Fighter saw a significant surge in earnings, amassing an estimated Rs. 39.5 crore and pushing the total past Rs. 62 crore, per industry tracker Sacnilk. It had an overall 41.57% Hindi occupancy on Friday. The evening shows witnessed an occupancy of 52%, followed by 45.4% for night shows. Issuing a statement, the makers clarified that the film collected Rs. 24.6 crore on its opening day, contrary to trade reports that suggested Rs. 22.5 crore.
Maximum footfalls registered in Chennai, Delhi-NCR
Fighter's stunning aerial action sequences and the solid performances by its cast have led to good word of mouth for the movie. On its second day in the theatres, the maximum business was seen in Chennai, with 81.25% overall occupancy. The Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) stood at the second position with 50.5% occupancy, closely followed by Mumbai at 48.75%, Kolkata at 48%, and Pune at 46.5%.
Anand's previous R-Day release
Notably, Anand has had two back-to-back releases on Republic Day. Last year, the director's Pathaan, starring Shah Rukh Khan, John Abraham, and Padukone, was also released on January 25. Although Fighter is earning big bucks, its collections are far less than that of Pathaan. The YRF Spy Universe film minted Rs. 57 crore and Rs. 70.5 crore on the first two days, totaling Rs. 127.5 crore, while Fighter's two-day earnings stand at Rs. 62 crore.
Film about Indian armed forces' valor
Fighter tells the gripping story of Air Dragons, an elite unit of the Indian Air Force, formed to combat possible threats to its Srinagar base camp. The film also briefly takes the audience through 2019's Pulwama attack, which martyred over 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) officials. It also goes on to show the Balakot air strike carried out by India to destroy Jaish-e-Mohammed's militant training camps in Pakistan.
