The Tamil Nadu government restricted special morning shows for 'Indian 2' but permitted the film to screen five shows daily for its first three days.
Published Jul 12, 2024 | 9:35 PM ⚊ Updated Jul 12, 2024 | 9:45 PM
'Indian 2' was also released in Hindi as Hindustani 2 and in Telugu as Bharateeyudu 2, on 12 July, along with Akshay Kumar's 'Sarfira'. (X)
Indian 2, starring Kamal Haasan in the lead, hit the big screens on 12 July. Directed by Shankar, the highly anticipated sequel to Indian (1996) received mixed reviews.
Some found the film outdated, while others criticised Kamal Haasan’s cakey prosthetic makeup and the dull screenplay.
Netflix holds the streaming rights for Indian 2 through a pre-release deal arranged by the makers. According to industry reports, the OTT giant has acquired the digital rights for the film for over ₹200 crore, allowing it to stream the Shankar-directed movie in multiple languages, including Bharateeyudu 2 (Telugu) and Hindustani 2 (Hindi).
Typically, films with such agreements appear on Netflix four weeks after their theatrical release, regardless of their box office performance.
For example, Vijay’s Leo (2023) was available on Netflix shortly after its theatrical run.
According to Sacnilk, Indian 2 earned ₹5.3 crore by 12.30 pm on its opening day (12 July).
The film grossed approximately ₹15 crore (including block seats) from pre-sales in India on its opening day, marking the highest figure for any Tamil film this year.
Kamal Haasan returns as Senapathy, a former freedom fighter turned vigilante fighting corruption in India. Indian 2 started strong in Tamil and Telugu markets but is anticipated to perform poorly in the Hindi belt due to minimal promotion and positive word-of-mouth for Akshay Kumar’s Sarfira.
The Tamil Nadu government has issued a Government Order (GO) prohibiting early morning shows but allowing the addition of a special show. Indian 2 has not been granted permission for early morning screenings. The last Tamil films to receive permission for such shows were Varisu and Thunivu in early 2023. Additionally, there is no approval to increase ticket prices in the state.
Bharateeyudu 2, the Telugu version of Indian 2, has been approved for special shows by the state government. Additionally, ticket price hikes have been permitted, with multiplexes allowed to add ₹75 and single screens ₹50 extra per ticket during the first week of release. All theatres screening Bharateeyudu 2 will show an advertisement raising awareness about drug abuse and cybercrime.
The release of Indian 2 in the Tamil market may impact the ongoing box office performance of Kalki 2898 AD. However, positive word-of-mouth is expected to ensure a strong collection over the first weekend. After two weeks, the Tamil version of Prabhas-starrer garnered approximately ₹32 crore.
Indian 2 is a film that initially sparks excitement with its plot premise. However, upon watching, it disappoints. It is a sequel no one asked for, read the Indian 2 review of South First.
(Edited by S Subhakeerthana)
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