In a rare occurrence, two big-budget films, 'Sarfira' starring Akshay Kumar and 'Indian 2' starring Kamal Haasan, released on the same day, Friday. While 'Sarfira' marks Akshay Kumar's return to the big screen after a series of flops, 'Indian 2' is the sequel to Kamal Haasan's 1996 hit film 'Indian'. Both films belong to different genres, with 'Sarfira' being an action-drama and 'Indian 2' being a political thriller.
Despite the hype surrounding both films, they faced stiff competition from Prabhas' 'Kalki', which is still going strong in its third week. According to early trends, 'Sarfira' opened to a dismal response, collecting only Rs 2.40 crore on its first day. On the other hand, 'Indian 2' performed better, collecting Rs 26 crore on its opening day, making it the biggest Tamil opener of 2024.
'Sarfira' had high expectations riding on it, given Akshay Kumar's recent string of flops, including the Rs 350 crore 'Bade Miyan Chote Miyan'. However, the film's poor opening has left fans and critics disappointed. Despite Akshay Kumar's extensive promotions, the film failed to impress audiences.
On the other hand, 'Indian 2' had generated significant buzz before its release, thanks to its pre-release business of Rs 10.98 crore. The film's opening day collection of Rs 26 crore is a testament to its hype. While the film performed well in Tamil, collecting Rs 17 crore, its performance in Hindi was lackluster, collecting only Rs 1.1 crore. The film's Telugu version collected Rs 7.9 crore.
Both films are now banking on the weekend to boost their collections. While 'Sarfira' needs a miraculous turnaround to save its fate, 'Indian 2' is expected to maintain its momentum. The competition from 'Kalki' has added an extra layer of challenge for both films. Only time will tell if these films can recover from their slow starts and make a mark at the box office.
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