Ajay Devgn’s much-anticipated comedy-drama Son of Sardaar 2, featuring Mrunal Thakur, Ravi Kishan, and Deepak Dobriyal, hit theaters on August 1, 2025, with a modest opening day collection of approximately Rs 6.75 crore (India net), according to early estimates by Sacnilk. While the film outperformed its direct competitor Dhadak 2, it faced challenges matching the opening day success of Devgn’s recent hits Raid 2 and Shaitaan. Despite strong performances in tier-2 cities, the film contends with fierce competition from the ongoing box office dominance of Saiyaara.
Strong Tier-2 City Performance Boosts Occupancy
The film recorded an overall Hindi occupancy rate of 22.56% on its opening day, with a gradual increase throughout the day. Morning shows started at a low 10.24%, rising to 17.88% in the afternoon, 21.84% in the evening, and peaking at an impressive 40.27% during night shows. Tier-2 cities like Lucknow and Jaipur led the charge with occupancy rates of 39% and 37%, respectively, outshining metro cities such as Delhi-NCR (30.50%) and Mumbai (20.25%). This regional strength highlights the film’s appeal in smaller markets, though it struggled to generate significant buzz in urban centers. The film’s release was strategically delayed by a week to avoid clashing with Saiyaara, which continues to draw crowds in its second week, amassing over Rs 285.75 crore.
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Comparison with Ajay Devgn’s Recent Hits
Son of Sardaar 2 fell short of expectations set by Ajay Devgn’s previous releases. His earlier film Raid 2 opened to a robust Rs 19.25 crore, while the horror-thriller Shaitaan earned Rs14.75 crore on its first day. In contrast, Son of Sardaar 2’s Rs 6.75 crore debut marks a significant gap, though it performed better than Kajol’s Maa (₹4.5 crore) and Dhadak 2 (Rs3.35 crore) on their respective opening days. The film’s success now hinges on positive word-of-mouth and weekend growth to counter the strong competition from Saiyaara, as noted by industry trackers. “Son of Sardaar 2 opened significantly lower than Ajay Devgn’s last release, Raid 2, which earned Rs 19.25 crore on its first day,” Sacnilk reported, underscoring the challenge ahead for the comedy sequel.
