Ajay Devgn’s return as the lovable Sardar has not gone down as well as expected, with his new film, ‘Son of Sardaar 2,’ facing an uphill battle at the box office. The comedy sequel, which hit theatres on August 1st, has reportedly faltered due to a combination of weak content and lukewarm audience response, falling well short of industry projections.
The film’s opening weekend has been a major cause for concern. It began its run with a modest Day 1 collection of Rs 7.50 crore, a figure that pales in comparison to the scale and star power attached to the project. While the collections saw a slight bump over the weekend, with Day 2 bringing in Rs 8 crore and Sunday seeing a 20% growth to touch Rs 9.50 crore, the three-day total of Rs 25 crore is considered underwhelming. Analysts had hoped for this amount to be the Day 1 figure, a clear sign that the film has not resonated with the public as its predecessor did.
Adding to the film’s troubles is the stiff competition it faces. ‘Son of Sardaar 2’ premiered alongside ‘Dhadak 2’ and had to contend with the strong performance of holdover releases like ‘Mahavatar Narsimha’ and ‘Saiyaara.’ The multiple options for moviegoers have further fragmented the audience, making it difficult for any single film to dominate the market.
Industry pundits are now predicting a disappointing theatrical run for the Devgn Films production. With the initial festive weekend over, collections are expected to drop sharply during the weekdays. The film, which also stars Mrunal Thakur and Ravi Kishan, is now on a trajectory to finish its run with barely half the lifetime earnings of the 2012 original, ‘Son of Sardaar.’
Despite the ensemble cast’s efforts, audience feedback has pointed to a lack of originality in the humour and a lacklustre storyline as the key reasons behind the film’s underwhelming reception. As ‘Son of Sardaar 2’ continues its run in cinemas, its fate seems sealed unless a remarkable and unexpected turnaround occurs in the coming days.