Pathaan, which marked the comeback of Shah Rukh Khan after four years, collected a record-breaking Rs 55 crore at the Indian box office on the first day of the release, as per trade analyst Taran Adarsh. Pathaan is now the "biggest opener" in Hindi cinema. Pathaan's opening day collection takes it past the Hindi dubbing of KGF: Chapter 2. The film, co-starring Deepika Padukone and John Abraham in lead roles, pushes War and Thugs Of Hindostan down from their previous positions of second and third behind KGF: Chapter 2.
Taran Adarsh tweeted, "PATHAAN' CREATES HISTORY, BIGGEST DAY 1 TOTAL. Pathaan is now BIGGEST OPENER [Hindi films] in India. *Day 1* biz... Pathaan: Rs 55 cr [Non-holiday] KGF2 #Hindi: Rs 53.95 cr War: Rs 51.60 cr TOH: Rs 50.75 cr Nett BOC. India biz."
Read Taran Adarsh's tweet below:
Helmed by Siddharth Anand and produced by Yash Raj Films, the movie broke records in terms of advance booking. Pathaan recorded the second-highest pre-release ticket sales for Day 1 - 5.5 lakh. Only KGF 2's Hindi dub sold more in advance bookings.
Pathaan, released yesterday (January 25), witnessed audiences in huge numbers at theatres for early morning shows. Across India, the fans were spotted celebrating the release by bursting crackers and dancing to the dhol beats. Take a look at the videos from Mumbai and Kolkata below:
Saibal Chatterjee, in his review for NDTV, wrote, "The most striking aspect of Pathaan, a masala entertainer at heart, is that it has the gumption to go beyond the parameters of a massy movie and produce sharp, insightful moments that serve as a commentary on pressing issues of the day. It is far more about humanity than about shallow patriotism, which, coming at a time when the Mumbai movie industry thrives on the othering and demonising of communities to further a dominant political narrative, is an act of courage that deserves to be celebrated."