Shah Rukh Khan’s ‘Pathaan’ clocks ₹55 crore, highest opening for a Hindi film

Shah Rukh Khan’s Pathaan is now the highest opener as far as original Hindi films go, having earned Rs. 55 crore on day one in India. The Siddharth Anand-directed action drama has beaten the first day earnings of KGF: Chapter 2 that had earned Rs. 53.95 crore when released last April and Yash Raj Films’ War that had made Rs. 51.60 crore in 2019.

The dubbed Tamil and Telugu versions of the film have made an additional Rs. 2 crore. Pathaan is also the highest first day grosser for Khan, Deepika Padukone as well as YRF. Having released in 8,000 screens worldwide, including 5,500 in India and 2,500 overseas, Khan’s film saw shows being added late Wednesday night to meet rising demand.

Trade website Box Office India said the film is performing exceedingly well in Hindi-speaking markets like Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra but has also broken records in south India with the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana markets leading the race. Records of KGF 2, have been broken in east India, which was an impressive performer in the region.

“For Pathaan to shatter records in this fashion on a non-holiday, just proves that the theatrical business is here to stay, provided we make films that entice people to come to the cinemas to witness a never seen before experience that entertains them thoroughly,” Akshaye Widhani, chief executive officer of Yash Raj Films said in a statement.

The release of Pathaan has come as a ray of hope for struggling theatre owners in the Hindi-speaking belt, many of whom have been hit hard by the pandemic and are considering shutting down operations. Around 1,000-1,500 single screen cinemas are estimated to have closed down during the pandemic.

The film also marks the return of Khan to the big screen after more than four years, and underperformers such as Zero, Jab Harry Met Sejal and Fan.