Director Nag Ashwin’s sci-fi epic ‘Kalki 2898 AD’, featuring Prabhas, Amitabh Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, and Kamal Haasan, has debuted as the highest-grossing film of the year so far. The movie premiered globally yesterday and according to industry analyst Sacnilk, it has earned a net of Rs 95 crore in India on its opening day. The total domestic gross stands at approximately Rs 115 crore, with an additional Rs 65 crore estimated from international markets, bringing the film’s first-day worldwide earnings to a staggering Rs 180 crore. With its impressive earnings, ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ has secured its place as the third-highest opening film in Indian cinema history.
The multi-lingual release of ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ across Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, Kannada, and Malayalam has proven most lucrative in its Telugu version within India. Out of the total net collection of Rs 95 crore, Rs 64.5 crore was amassed from the Telugu release alone. Following this, the Hindi version contributed Rs 24 crore, while the Tamil version garnered Rs 4 crore. In addition, the Malayalam release brought in Rs 2.2 crore, and the Kannada version contributed Rs 30 lakh. Notably, the Telugu version of the film achieved an impressive overall occupancy rate of 85.15 percent.
The net earnings of ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ on its opening day surpass last year’s top-grossing film ‘Jawan’, starring Shah Rukh Khan, by Rs 20 crore. ‘Jawan’ had collected Rs 75 crore on its first day. Globally, ‘Jawan’ amassed a total of Rs 1,160 crore, with Rs 640.25 crore netted in India alone.
‘Kalki 2898 AD’ has exceeded the opening day earnings of Yash-starrer ‘KGF Chapter 2’, which had garnered Rs 159 crore, thereby claiming the position of the third highest-grossing Indian opener. SS Rajamouli’s films ‘RRR’ and ‘Baahubali 2’ currently hold the top two positions for highest opening day collections in Indian cinema. ‘RRR’, which later earned an Oscar, amassed Rs 223 crore on its debut day, while ‘Baahubali 2’, featuring Prabhas, secured Rs 217 crore on its first day of release.
In terms of net earnings, ‘RRR’ achieved Rs 133 crore on its opening day, securing the top spot, followed closely by ‘Baahubali 2’ with Rs 121 crore. Despite ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ surpassing ‘KGF Chapter 2′ in gross collection, Prabhas’ film did not break the record for net earnings set by ‘KGF Chapter 2’, which had earned Rs 116 crore on its opening day.
Based on its initial performance, ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ appears poised for a robust weekend ahead. Earlier forecasts hinted at a potential Rs 500 crore earnings over the first weekend, prompting anticipation regarding the film’s ability to draw audiences during this period.
‘Kalki 2898 AD’ unfolds against the rich tapestry of ancient Indian Hindu mythology. Produced by Vyjayanthi Movies at an extravagant cost of Rs 600 crore, the film boasts music crafted by Santhosh Narayanan, cinematography overseen by Djordje Stojiljkovic, and editing handled by Kotagiri Venkateswara Rao.
Click HERE to view the cinema locations and show timings for ‘Kalki 2898 AD’. The film is distributed in Malaysia by Suraya Filem.
Source: Indian Express, India Today
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