Amid much anticipation and hype, Pushpa 2, starring Allu Arjun and Rashmika Mandanna in the lead roles, finally hit the theatres on Thursday (December 5). The film has been granted a U/A certificate by the Censor Board of Film Certification (CBFC), and the makers have left no stone unturned to make the film a grand pan-India success.
After the mammoth success of Pushpa: The Rise, the makers are expecting an even bigger and better response for the sequel, which has generated immense buzz, not just in South but across the country, and even abroad.
As per trade experts, Pushpa 2 is eyeing to beat the numbers of Jawan, as the Shah Rukh Khan-starrer is the highest grossing Indian film so far. Reports also stated that the film might even surpass the numbers given the hype.
According to Sacnilk.com, by 12:30 pm on Thursday, the film had collected approximately Rs 41.54 crore (India nett) across all languages on its opening day. Meanwhile, in the US, Prathyangira Cinemas reported via an X post that the film earned an impressive $3.2 million solely from preview shows.
The record for the biggest opener in Indian cinema history is currently held by SS Rajamouli's RRR, which raked in Rs 223 crore on its first day, followed closely by Baahubali 2 with Rs 217 crore and Kalki 2898 AD at Rs 175 crore.
Trade analysts have reportedly predicted that Pushpa 2 could surpass these figures, with early estimates suggesting an opening collection of over Rs 250 crore globally.
Pushpa 2 has a runtime of 3 hours 20 minutes in theatres, making it one of the longest films of Indian cinema.
Besides Allu Arjun, Pushpa 2 also stars Rashmika Mandanna as his wife, Srivalli, and Fahadh Faasil as the antagonist. It is directed by Sukumar and features a special dance number by Sreeleela.
Meanwhile, the Andhra Pradesh government has allowed the makers and theatres to hike the price of tickets in the state. Following this, Allu Arjun expressed his gratitude to the government and wrote, "I extend my heartfelt thanks to the government of Andhra Pradesh for approving the ticket hike. This progressive decision demonstrates your steadfast commitment to the growth and prosperity of the Telugu film industry."
