Sunny Deol’s “Gadar 2” has become a massive box office hit, amassing Rs 229 crore within just five days of its release, and its magic at the box office continues. However, curiosity abounds regarding whether “Gadar 2” will surpass the box office collection of Shah Rukh Khan’s “Pathaan,” which raked in Rs 543 crore domestically.
Film trade analyst Komal Nahta holds that there is about a 95 percent chance of “Gadar 2” outperforming “Pathaan.” He expressed to Hindustan Times, “I don’t think reviews matter. Reviews don’t decide whether a film will click or not. And more often than not, they definitely don’t matter for mass films. Yes, they do matter for artistic cinema or for films with class appeal. But the masses are not concerned about what journalists or critics write. I believe they go for it if they like it. Therefore, word of mouth is more crucial. The word of mouth for ‘Gadar 2’ has been exceedingly positive, with people bursting out in cinema halls—a reaction that 95 percent of critics fail to appreciate. In my opinion, they are quite detached from reality.”
On the other hand, film exhibitor Akshaye Rathi said to HT, “Judging by its current trajectory, ‘Gadar 2’ can potentially beat not only ‘Pathaan’ but any existing record. It’s currently on an absolute rampage. The historic events witnessed in cinemas across India on August 15 were monumental. We, in the film exhibition sector, work to serve our audience and ensure their joy. The scenes on Tuesday were a true celebration of cinema, not just for ‘Gadar 2’ but also for ‘OMG 2,’ ‘Jailer,’ ‘Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani,’ ‘Oppenheimer,’ and all the films presently in theaters. Witnessing such unprecedented numbers of audience members returning to cinemas is heartening.”
Producer and film business expert Girish Johar, however, holds a different perspective and suggests waiting for another week to gain a clearer picture. “The film has garnered a fantastic sum of over Rs 225 crore in five days. Today is a partial holiday (Navroz), and there are no significant releases nearby. Yet, ‘Pathaan’ had a wider screen presence. A substantial gap must be bridged. ‘Pathaan’ has accumulated around Rs 500 crore, and for ‘Gadar 2’ to surpass it, it must cover an additional Rs 300 crore. Comparing ‘Gadar 2’s’ five-day performance with its eight-week run is premature,” he conveyed to HT.
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