As the Independence Day holiday approaches on August 15th, Bollywood is set to witness a significant box office clash between three major releases: Stree 2, Khel Khel Mein, and Vedaa. The anticipation is high as each film caters to a different audience segment, but it’s clear that Stree 2 is leading the pack in terms of advance bookings and overall hype. Let’s delve into the box office predictions for these three films.
𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞 2 : 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞
Stree 2, produced by Jio Studios and directed by Amar Kaushik, is the much-awaited sequel to the 2018 blockbuster Stree. The original film was a surprise hit, blending horror and comedy in a way that resonated deeply with the audience. The sequel brings back the original star cast, including Shraddha Kapoor, Rajkummar Rao, Aparshakti Khurrana, Pankaj Tripathi, and Abhishek Banerjee, ensuring that the film retains the magic that made the first one such a hit.
The excitement around Stree 2 is palpable, as evidenced by its humongous lead in advance bookings. The film has already sold nearly 1.40 lakh tickets at PVR, Inox, and Cinepolis for its opening day, including paid previews scheduled for August 14th at 9:30 PM onwards. This kind of pre-sale activity suggests that Stree 2 is set to dominate the box office, with final pre-sale numbers expected to reach between 3.5 to 4 lakh tickets at national chain multiplexes, the highest for any Hindi film in 2024. Stree 2 has managed to get 50% Showcasing at multiplexes across the nation and most premium single screens theaters. Rest 50% screens and shows will be divided between Khel Khel Mein and Vedaa.
Given the hype and the strong franchise value, Stree 2 is poised for a mammoth opening in the range of ₹30-35 crore nett on Independence Day. The paid preview business could push the overall total close to the ₹40 crore mark, an extraordinary figure that could set the film on a path to easily cross the ₹100 crore mark over the extended four-day weekend. The combination of a strong cast, an established franchise, and the Independence Day holiday makes Stree 2 a potential blockbuster, with all signs pointing toward it emerging as the clear winner in this box office clash.
Khel Khel Mein: Struggling to Make an Impact
On the other side of the spectrum is Khel Khel Mein, produced by T-Series and Wakaoo Films, and directed by Mudassar Aziz. The film boasts an ensemble cast including Akshay Kumar, Fardeen Khan, Ammy Virk, Taapsee Pannu, and Vaani Kapoor, and falls under the comedy genre, a staple for Akshay Kumar. However, despite the star power and the genre’s usually broad appeal, Khel Khel Mein appears to be struggling to make a significant impact.
The film is facing challenges in securing premium showtimes at multiplexes and single screens, which is crucial for a strong opening. Limited advance bookings began only recently, and as of now, the film has sold a mere 1,500 tickets at national chain multiplexes. These are worrying signs for a film that, under different circumstances, might have been expected to perform much better. Our predictions suggest that Khel Khel Mein is looking to open in the range of ₹ 5- 7 crore nett, a dismal figure for an Akshay Kumar starrer with such a big ensemble cast. This disappointing opening would be a significant underperformance, especially for a film releasing on a holiday like Independence Day.
Vedaa: The Wildcard
Vedaa, produced by Zee Studios and Emmay Entertainment, and directed by Nikhil Advani, is another contender in this box office battle. Starring John Abraham and Sharvari, Vedaa has managed to secure a decent number of shows at multiplexes, positioning it as a wildcard in this three-way clash. However, unlike Stree 2, Vedaa will heavily rely on word of mouth to sustain its box office run.
Our predictions suggest that Vedaa is looking to open in the range of ₹4-6 crore nett on Independence Day, which, while modest, could lead to a decent overall performance if the film is well-received by audiences. The film’s success over the weekend and beyond will largely depend on its critical reception and audience feedback, making it a more unpredictable entity compared to its competitors.
Conclusion
This Independence Day, Stree 2 is undoubtedly poised to dominate the box office with a thunderous opening, riding high on strong advance bookings, franchise value, and audience anticipation. In contrast, Khel Khel Mein and Vedaa face an uphill battle, with their combined opening day collections likely struggling to reach double digits. As the dust settles, Stree 2 seems set to emerge as the clear winner, while the other two films may need to rely on word of mouth and long-run at the box office to find their footing in this competitive clash.
