Ranbir’s Brahmastra surpasses Sooryavanshi to become biggest post-pandemic Hindi film opener; despite the strong start, trade wary of movie recovering cost
Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt in the film
Over the weekend, two questions dominated the talk in movie and exhibition circles: How is Brahmastra? And how much will it amass at the box-office? The former is understandably subjective, with the Ranbir Kapoor-Alia Bhatt starrer garnering mixed reviews from critics. Fortunately, the box-office numbers tell an encouraging story. The most ambitious Hindi film of 2022 has started off on a strong note across over 5,000 screens in India, with its opening-day figures reading almost Rs 35 crore. With a two-day collection of Rs 69.5 crore, Ayan Mukerji’s directorial venture has brought much-needed cheer to Bollywood that hasn’t seen a hit since Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 in May. Trade analyst Akshaye Rathi deems the opening “spectacular”. “This is the best opening we have seen for a Hindi film after the pandemic. Until now, Sooryavanshi had the highest opening at Rs 26 crore,” he beams. It may be noted that Akshay Kumar’s cop actioner had opened in theatres when many states had the 50 per cent occupancy rule due to the pandemic.