'Stree 2' collection is already 10x 'Vedaa'-'Khel Khel Mein' combined
What's the story
The highly anticipated horror-comedy Stree 2, featuring Shraddha Kapoor and Rajkummar Rao, is outpacing its competitors at the box office.
The film is set to release on Thursday, August 15, alongside Akshay Kumar's comedy Khel Khel Mein and John Abraham's action flick Vedaa.
However, Stree 2 has already taken a significant lead with one of the highest advance bookings ever recorded.
Advance bookings
'Stree 2' grosses over ₹11 crore in advance bookings
According to a report by Sacnilk, Stree 2 has sold 3,77,380 tickets in advance booking, grossing over ₹11.23 crore. This figure is more than 10 times the combined gross collections of Vedaa and Khel Khel Mein.
Vedaa has sold 23,150 tickets across 3,611 shows (including Hindi and Tamil), amounting to a gross of ₹55.91 lakh. Meanwhile, Khel Khel Mein has managed to sell only 14,469 tickets across 2,705 shows with a gross collection of ₹53.75 lakh.
Box office records
'Stree 2' breaks records in national multiplex chains
Stree 2 is also setting new records in national multiplex chains with its impressive advance bookings.
The film has sold over 2,50,000 tickets (including previews), surpassing Shah Rukh Khan's Dunki (2,30,000 tickets), Hrithik Roshan's Fighter (1,45,000 tickets), and Kalki 2898 AD Hindi (1,25,000 tickets).
The film now aims to sell over an estimated 3,50,000 tickets to join the ranks of top five advance bookings of all time for Hindi films.
Predictions
Trade experts predict strong opening for 'Stree 2'
Trade experts predict that Stree 2 will open at ₹40+ crore while Khel Khel Mein and Vedaa are expected to open in the range of ₹6-7 crore.
Senior distributor and exhibitor Raj Bansal also expressed confidence that Stree 2 will outperform Vedaa and Khel Khel Mein at the box office.
He predicted that Stree 2 will open at ₹18-20 crore, while the combined opening of Vedaa and Khel Khel Mein would be at ₹8-10 crore.
Audience response
'Stree 2' a clear audience favorite despite competition
Despite the competition, Stree 2 appears to be a clear favorite among audiences.
The film's Day 1 advance booking figures have already crossed ₹10 crore, surpassing even the pre-sales of other big releases like Salman Khan's Tiger 3 and Ranbir Kapoor's Brahmastra: Part One - Shiva.
Film producer and industry expert Girish Johar expressed confidence in a strong opening for Stree 2, attributing it to the strategic decision to launch advance bookings early.
Box office clash
Multiple Independence Day releases may affect each other's business
However, multiple releases on Independence Day may affect each other's business.
Distributor Sunny Chandiramani revealed that distributors have demanded exhibitors to allot more screening space for Stree 2.
Despite this, Stree 2 will have to settle for 60-70% shows in a multiplex, with the rest being divided between Vedaa and Khel Khel Mein.