Kalki rocks Hindi box office: How Prabhas broke Fighter’s record in 12 days
‘Kalki 2898 AD’ has now become the biggest Hindi film of the year. This Prabhas starrer has surpassed the lifetime collection of Fighter in 12 days.
‘Kalki 2898 AD’ has entered its second week at the box office with a stellar performance so far. The film is moving fast towards its ultimate goal of crossing the Rs 1000 crore club worldwide, but its performance in the Hindi market has been extremely surprising. The film starring Prabhas, Amitabh Bachchan and Deepika Padukone has now become the highest grossing Hindi film of the year, breaking the lifetime record of ‘Fighter’ released in January this year.
The Nag Ashwin-directed film registered record business with its Hindi version and grossed around Rs 218 crore in 12 days (after the second Monday). Deepika-starrer ‘Fighter’ grossed Rs 212.80 crore in its total run at the box office. As per the trade website’s report, Ajay Devgn’s ‘Shaitan’ is at the second spot in the list of highest-grossing Hindi films of 2024, which grossed around Rs 148.25 crore. Saconilc,
But, how did ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ achieve this feat? First, take a look at the day-wise breakup of the Hindi version of the film at the Indian box office so far:
- Week 1: Rs 162.5 crore
- Friday: Rs 9.4 crore
- Saturday: Rs 18 crore
- Sunday: Rs 22.5 crore
- Monday: Rs 6.5 crore
- Total: Rs 218.9 crore
Kalki’s second Monday collection in the Hindi market is higher than the opening day collections of many popular Bollywood films released this year. Apart from ‘Munjya’, ‘Fighter’ and ‘Shaitan’, no Bollywood film has been able to do wonders at the box office, especially this year. ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ is like a breath of fresh air. Its importance lies in highlighting stories connected to its roots.
What work was done in favour of ‘Kalki 2898 A.D.’ in the Hindi region?
‘Munjya’, ‘Shaitan’ or ‘Kalki 2898 A.D.’ – the idea is to make the audience feel like they’re back home. These are stories that impact the audience. These films don’t take you out of your country by showing you a dream world, but ask you to come back to your country and be enthralled with the many fascinating stories that arise from the local areas. In the case of ‘Kalki’, it’s also the specificity of the genre that works.
The film is a blend of science fiction with Indian mythology, especially the Mahabharata, which is both epic and thrilling. Indian audiences are familiar with the battle of Kurukshetra, the people who fought in the war and what is written in the ‘Mahabharata’.Puranas‘ about a post-apocalyptic world. It provides a large canvas for filmmakers to paint their imaginations. So, when Nag Ashwin shows Amitabh Bachchan’s Ashwatthama as a larger-than-life man, you don’t question but watch in awe. Similarly, when he decides to reincarnate the mighty Karna in that era, you feel a sense of vengeance for the character, which is what the director also felt when he first designed the character.
Kalki’s star presence has played a vital role in the Hindi version doing well. Both Amitabh and Deepika have received a great acceptance from the North Indian audience. Prabhas may not have impressed the Hindi audience with his last few films, but the magic he created with the ‘Baahubali’ series is still intact.
Another reason for the film’s success in the Hindi market is its appeal to the audience. ‘Kalki’ is not an easy film, with a simple genre. It demands hard work from the audience – to remember the Mahabharata, its characters and be willing to believe in the possibility of a supreme Yaskin or a world where nature has been sucked into the ‘complex’ of the future.
‘Kalki 2898 AD’ is the fourth South Indian film to cross the Rs 200 crore mark in Hindi.
Check out the list of highest-grossing South Indian Hindi films in India (Source: sacnilk)
- Baahubali 2: Rs 511 crore
- KGF 2: Rs 435 crore
- RRR: Rs 272.75 crore
- Kalki 2898 AD: Rs 218.9 crore (running)
It now aims to cross the Rs 300 crore mark in the Hindi version alone – a feat it is expected to achieve by the end of its third weekend. With Kamal Haasan’s ‘Indian 2’ hitting the screens this week, ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ may see a drop in its collections in the South markets. However, its performance in Hindi is not expected to be challenged until Vicky Kaushal’s ‘Bad Newz’ releases next week. Akshay Kumar’s ‘Sarfira’, which is slated to release this week, is not likely to take a bite out of Kalki’s collections. It is estimated that ‘Tomorrow‘Then it will be even more of a record breaker!
