*"Stree 2" experienced a phenomenal opening day at the box office on Thursday, August 15, significantly exceeding trade industry expectations. The film, starring Shraddha Kapoor and Rajkummar Rao, capitalized on the Independence Day holiday in India, which contributed to its remarkable performance. The movie raked in a staggering Rs 46 crore net on its opening day, and when combined with Rs 8.35 crore from paid previews on Wednesday, the total first-day collection reached an impressive Rs 54.35 crore. This strong start has already positioned "Stree 2" as a major success story in Bollywood for 2024.
The film's advance sales were notably robust, leading to its emergence as the biggest Bollywood opener of the year. The Rs 46 crore collected on the first day was more than double the opening day figures of other major Hindi releases this year, including "Fighter" and "Kalki 2898," which had collected Rs 22.6 crore on their respective first days. This achievement also marks a significant milestone for Shraddha Kapoor, whose previous best opening day collection was Rs 15.73 crore for "Tu Jhoothi Main Makkar." The record set by "Stree 2" for Shraddha is expected to be a tough one to surpass shortly.
Similarly, Rajkummar Rao saw his biggest box office opening with "Stree 2." This is the first time a film starring him in the lead role has achieved a double-digit figure on its first day at the box office, highlighting the movie's widespread appeal and the growing popularity of the actor. The Rs 46 crore collected on Thursday also secured "Stree 2" a place among the top Hindi film openers of all time, surpassing previous blockbusters such as "Baahubali 2" (Hindi), "Bharat," "Happy New Year," and "Tiger 3." If the paid previews are included, bringing the opening day total to Rs 54.35 crore net, "Stree 2" climbs even higher in the rankings, sitting just behind monumental hits like "Animal," "Pathaan," and "Jawan."
This success is particularly noteworthy as "Stree 2" has set a new benchmark for the horror-comedy genre. Never before has a film of this type crossed the Rs 40 crore mark on its first day, a record previously held by "Golmaal Again," which collected Rs 30.14 crore on its opening day. Additionally, "Stree 2" has claimed the title of the biggest opening for a Hindi film sequel or franchise, surpassing the Rs 43 crore debut of "Tiger 3." Other sequels that performed well on their opening day, such as "Baahubali 2" (Hindi), "Gadar 2," "Tiger Zinda Hai," "Dhoom 3," "Singham Returns," and "Golmaal Again," now trail behind "Stree 2" in this category.
Directed by Amar Kaushik, "Stree 2" is not only enjoying its moment in the spotlight but is also benefiting from an extended holiday weekend, which is expected to further boost its box office numbers. The film has been well-received by audiences, with positive word-of-mouth fueling its momentum. Despite competition from Akshay Kumar's "Khel Khel Mein" and John Abraham's "Vedaa," "Stree 2" is on track to potentially surpass the Rs 150 crore net mark by the end of its opening weekend, solidifying its status as a major blockbuster. This remarkable performance reflects both the strength of the film and the enthusiasm of the audience, indicating that "Stree 2" could set even more records in the days to come.*
Â
