Independence Day has brought a significant boost to the Hindi box office, with three films — Awarapan 2, Batwara 1947 and holdover Spider-Man: Brand New Day — witnessing strong growth compared to Friday. Among the three, Batwara 1947 and Spider-Man: Brand New Day are showing the sharpest improvement, while Awarapan 2 is also registering a healthy jump over its already impressive opening. Together, the three films are expected to generate more than Rs. 50 crore nett today.
Awarapan 2 Eyes Rs. 30 Crore on Day 2
Awarapan 2 is currently tracking towards the Rs. 30 crore nett mark on Saturday, provided the night shows maintain their momentum. With Sunday following Independence Day, the Emraan Hashmi starrer is expected to remain strong tomorrow as well.
If the film performs similarly during the night shows as it did on Friday, crossing Rs. 30 crore nett should be achievable. This would represent close to a 35 percent increase over its already excellent opening-day business.
The film has also benefited from an increase in show allocation, with around 3,000 additional shows compared to Friday, giving its collections another boost. Instead of experiencing the usual post-opening-day dip, Awarapan 2 has capitalised on the national holiday to record significant growth.
Batwara 1947 Sees a Major Independence Day Jump
Batwara 1947 is witnessing an even bigger improvement, with the Sunny Deol starrer currently trending towards Rs. 13–14 crore nett on Saturday. The film had opened at around Rs. 5 crore nett, meaning it could potentially nearly triple its first-day business.
Even if the film falls short of the upper range, it is expected to cross Rs. 12 crore nett for the day. The movie’s wide release has worked in its favour as holiday walk-ins have started contributing to its business.
Early audience reports are said to be positive, which could help the film gain further momentum if favourable word of mouth spreads. However, despite Saturday’s jump, Batwara 1947 still needs strong collections over the next few days. A solid hold on Sunday would be particularly important for its theatrical run.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day Returns to Stronger Levels
Meanwhile, Spider-Man: Brand New Day is also enjoying a major Independence Day boost. The Hollywood superhero film could cross Rs. 10 crore nett today, representing growth of nearly 175 percent over its third Friday.
The film had experienced a sharp decline on Friday following the arrival of the two new Hindi releases, but Saturday’s holiday business has brought it back closer to its expected levels.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day has already become the highest-grossing Hollywood film ever in India and is currently heading towards a lifetime finish in the range of Rs. 475 crore nett.
