Pathaan: Shah Rukh Khan film beats Avatar The Way of Water to be the highest-grossing film in the world on release day
Shah Rukh Khan’s Pathaan has registered the biggest opening day in the history of Hindi cinema. The film minted Rs 57 crore net (Rs 68 crore gross) in India alone and grossed over Rs 104 crore worldwide on its first day. What makes this even more special is that the film was the highest-grossing title in the world on January 25. As per trade sources, Pathaan managed to upstage Avatar: The Way of Water, which had been the most successful film each day since its release in December.
Pathaan earned Rs 68 crore gross in India ($8.3 million). Added to it was the $4.3 million gross from overseas market, taking its worldwide total on Wednesday to an impressive $12.77 million. As per trade sources, Avatar: The Way of Water made $10.5 million on the day while Puss in Boots: The Last Wish made even fewer. This made Pathaan the highest-grossing film in the world that day.
Given that Pathaan is on cross to register an even bigger Thursday, it may just end up upstaging Avatar 2 yet again. However, its overseas earnings are likely to take a hit. The numbers must be taken with a pinch of salt though as Pathaan’s numbers were for its opening day while the numbers of other Hollywood releases were for a mid-week working day. In Avatar 2’s case, it is the film’s fifth week. Yet, it is still a significant achievement.
In the recent past, two other Indian films have achieved this feat of being the highest-grossing film in the world on different occasions. In March last year, SS Rajamouli’s Telugu blockbuster RRR minted $60 million in its opening weekend worldwide. By doing this, it beat The Batman ($45 million) and The Lost City ($30 million). Before this, Rajamouli’s Baahubali: The Conclusion had also achieved this feat, earning $77 million in its opening weekend in 2017. Pathaan stands to emulate this feat if it can keep up the earnings till Sunday. Analysts predict the Shah Rukh Khan-starrer is on course for a $50-million extended opening weekend worldwide.
