Siddharth Anand, the mastermind behind the mega-blockbuster Pathaan, went down a new road with aerial action thriller Fighter, which soared on its opening weekend, dominating global box office charts and even outshining Hollywood releases. However, the film’s trajectory took an unexpected nosedive on Monday in terms of box office performance.
On Day 5, earnings plummeting to an estimated Rs 7-8 crore, a nearly 70% drop from the opening day and an over 82% drop from Day 2, which happened to be Republic Day.
The film’s five-day total now stands at approximately Rs 130 crore, sparking concerns about its ability to reach the coveted Rs 200 crore mark in India. Even if it manages to achieve this milestone, it may not be sufficient, considering the reported budget of Rs 250 crore.
Commenting on the situation, film critic Taran Adarsh said, “I think there was a big disconnect between the urban centres and the mass pockets.”
“It is not a usual masala film like Pathaan. It is a very sophisticated, very urban-centric film.”
Sreedhar Pillai, another film critic, expressed concerns about the film’s promotional strategy, saying, “There were hardly any promotions. Hrithik could have been a little more aggressive in promoting the film across cities. The film could not penetrate downwards from multiplexes, like a mass film in Tier 2 and 3 single screens.”
the ‘flop show club’
Its lacklustre performance in India raises questions about its overall success, putting it on par with recent Hindi films like Adipurush, Tejas, Kuttey, Bachchhan Paandey and Shamshera, all of which faced challenges on their first Mondays. This trend of underperformance raises concerns within the industry, especially considering that Fighter ticked all the boxes — from star names and director’s credentials to tremendous critical acclaim and positive audience feedback.
Testing times
For Hrithik Roshan, Fighter’s fortunes represent a potential setback, and could be his second consecutive flop after Vikram Vedha in 2022. It also halts Deepika’s dream box office run initiated by Pathaan and has the dubious distinction of being Siddharth Anand’s first career flop after 19 years as a director.
Taran Adarsh sums up the industry perspective, stating, “At the end of the day, everything takes a back seat. Just the numbers matter.”
Does well in overseas market
Meanwhile, despite domestic challenges, Fighter continues to hold ground in key international markets such as the USA, Canada, and Australia, even on weekdays. At the global box office, Fighter has amassed an estimated Rs 215 crore. The industry is now closely watching to see how Fighter will fare in its upcoming second weekend. For now, the film stumbles in India but thrives globally — adding intrigue to its BO narrative.
For Hrithik Roshan, Fighter’s fortunes represent a potential setback, and could be his second consecutive flop after Vikram Vedha in 2022. It also halts Deepika’s dream box office run initiated by Pathaan and has the dubious distinction of being Siddharth Anand’s first career flop after 19 years as a director.
There were hardly any promotions. Hrithik could have been a little more aggressive in promoting the film across cities.” — Sreedhar Pillar, film critic
I think there was a big disconnect between the urban centres and the mass pockets. It isn’t the usual masala film like Pathaan. It is a very sophisticated, very urban-centric film. Taran Adarsh, film critic
Its lacklustre performance in India puts it on par with recent Hindi films like Adipurush, Tejas, Kuttey, Bachchhan Paandey and Shamshera, all of which faced challenges on their first Mondays. This trend of underperformance raises concerns within the industry.
