The highly anticipated sci-fi extravaganza “Kalki 2898 AD” has been shattering records since before its release. Pre-sales in the overseas market and domestic advance bookings via BookMyShow were nothing short of phenomenal. This momentum carried over to its theatrical debut, grossing an impressive ₹191.5 crore on opening day and accumulating over ₹900 crore worldwide to date.
Despite its strong start, “Kalki 2898 AD” appears to be losing some steam domestically. On its 13th day, the film earned ₹9 crore, bringing its total India collection to ₹529.45 crore, according to Sacnilk. A breakdown of the Day 13 collections reveals a dominance of the Hindi version (₹5.75 crore) and the Telugu version (₹2.05 crore), with the remaining languages contributing ₹1.2 crore collectively.
The first week’s performance further highlights the film’s regional appeal. It garnered ₹414 crore within India, with the Telugu version leading the charge at ₹212.25 crore. The Hindi dubbed version followed closely with ₹162.5 crore, while the Tamil, Malayalam, and Kannada versions brought in ₹23 crore, ₹14.2 crore, and ₹2.8 crore respectively. Notably, this performance makes “Kalki 2898 AD” the 10th Indian film to cross the ₹900 crore mark globally, a feat confirmed by its producers, Vyjayanthi Movies.
However, a cause for concern emerges when comparing “Kalki 2898 AD” to other recent blockbusters on their second Monday. While the film continues to perform well, it falls short of its predecessors. Aamir Khan’s “Dangal” collected ₹13.45 crore on its second Monday in 2016, while “Baahubali 2,” “RRR,” “KGF 2,” and “Jawan” garnered ₹30 crore, ₹20.3 crore, ₹20.3 crore, and ₹19.1 crore respectively. This significant drop raises questions about “Kalki 2898 AD”s ability to sustain its momentum and reach the coveted ₹1000 crore mark.
Adding another layer of intrigue is the upcoming release of “Indian 2” this weekend. This highly anticipated sequel has the potential to further impact “Kalki 2898 AD”s performance at the box office. Only time will tell if “Kalki 2898 AD” can weather the competition and achieve its historic goals.