Prabhas starrer sci-fi epic Kalki 2898 AD has stormed the box office, becoming the biggest opening film of 2024 in India. Early estimates suggest a stellar debut, outpacing even last year’s blockbuster Jawan starring Shah Rukh Khan.
According to an industry tracker, the Nag Ashwin directional raked in a whopping INR 95 crore nett on its opening day in India. With an estimated gross collection of INR 115 crore domestically and INR 65 crore overseas, the film’s total opening day haul reaches a staggering INR 180 crore.
The film, released in Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, Kannada, and Malayalam, resonated particularly well with Telugu audiences. The Telugu version alone contributed INR 64.5 crore to the domestic total, followed by Hindi (INR 24 crore), Tamil (INR 4 crore), Malayalam (INR 2.2 crore), and Kannada (INR 30 lakh).
This record-breaking debut surpasses last year’s Jawan by a significant margin. The SRK-starrer opened with INR 75 crore nett and went on to become a global phenomenon, grossing INR 1,160 crore worldwide and INR 640.25 crore nett in India.
Kalki 2898 AD also dethroned Yash’s KGF Chapter 2 as the third-highest Indian opener, with KGF Chapter 2 collecting INR 159 crore on its opening day. However, the top two spots remain firmly held by SS Rajamouli’s masterpieces, RRR and Baahubali 2.
Given these phenomenal opening numbers, Kalki 2898 AD is poised for a dominant weekend at the box office. Initial predictions estimated an INR 500 crore first-weekend haul, and all eyes are on whether the film can sustain its audience pull over the coming days.
The film boasts a star-studded cast including Amitabh Bachchan, Deepika Padukone,and Kamal Haasan alongside Prabhas. Additionally, fans were treated to exciting cameos from Dulquer Salmaan, Vijay Deverakonda, Ram Gopal Varma, Mrunal Thakur and even SS Rajamouli himself. Kalki 2898 AD appears to be the box office cure India has been waiting for, and its journey has just begun.