Riteish Deshmukh’s magnum opus, Raja Shivaji, has recorded a solid opening. The historical saga drew 60–65 per cent occupancy in the morning and noon shows in Maharashtra. It also benefited from the long weekend and Maharashtra Day. The first-day collections are out, and the film has earned over Rs 10 crore.
Raja Shivaji Day 1 box office collection
According to a report by Sacnilk, the film collected an impressive Rs 8 crore nett on Friday from its Marathi version alone, placing it at the top of the highest opening-day collections for a Marathi film. The Hindi version earned Rs 3.35 crore, bringing the total to Rs 11.35 crore.
With this collection, we can say that the film has had a strong start and can fare well with positive word of mouth over the weekend. The historical action drama achieved this milestone across just 1,941 shows. With its Rs 11 crore debut, the film has moved past the previous Day 1 records held by Sairat and Timepass 2.
At the box office, the film outperformed Ek Din, which released on the same day and collected Rs 1 crore on its opening day. It is also witnessing a clash with Hollywood biggie The Devil Wears Prada 2 and the Malayalam movie Patriot, starring Mohanlal and Mammootty.
More about Raja Shivaji
For the unversed, Raja Shivaji is a biographical drama on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Riteish has not only acted in the film but also directed the epic saga. It has an ensemble cast that includes Sanjay Dutt, Genelia Deshmukh, Abhishek Bachchan, Fardeen Khan, Vidya Balan, Bhagyashree, Mahesh Manjrekar, Amol Gupte, and others. Salman Khan also makes a crucial guest appearance in the film.
Some theatre chains in Mumbai have reportedly added not just midnight screenings but also post-midnight shows of the film, looking at the insane demand. Speaking to Bollywood Hungama, a source said, “There’s crazy demand for these two films. However, as there are too many releases, these films are facing capacity issues. Hence, exhibitors have decided to play shows after 12:00 am since the demand is there.”
This comes after the film’s opening day was marred by an unexpected disruption in Thane. An early morning 8 am show at a local theatre was abruptly cancelled, leaving fans frustrated and sparking chaos at the venue.
