kalki-2898-ad-hindi-version-biggest-opener-of-2024

The Indian film industry is anticipating the return of good times with the release of the 3D movie Kalki 2898 AD. 

 

Based on early trends, the movie is expected to earn over Rs 200 crore worldwide on its opening day, Thursday, according to industry experts.

 

This science fiction and mythology spectacle features a star-studded cast including Prabhas, Deepika Padukone, Amitabh Bachchan, and Kamal Haasan, representing the leading talents from both the southern and Hindi film industries. 

 

The movie is also on track to achieve a premiere day earning of USD 4 million in the US, Canada, and other regions, according to the trade website Sacnilk.

 

This is more than SS Rajamouli's "RRR", which had scored USD 3.3 million gross on its North America premiere in 2022. "Kalki 2898 AD" is now the film with "the biggest premiere for an Indian movie in North America", Sacnilk reported.

 

Produced by Vyjayanthi Movies, "Kalki 2898 AD" has released in six languages: Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Hindi and English. Previously titled "Project K", it is arguably the most expensive feature film in Indian cinema history at a reported Rs 600 crore.

 

The film will breach the Rs 100 crore mark on the first day of its release, said trade analyst Girish Wankhede.

 

"This film will be a big life saver. Apart from 'Shaitaan', no big (Hindi) film has been a superhit in the last six months. 'Kalki' will be like a breath of fresh air. It will earn Rs 100-110 crore in opening day collections across India and will cross the Rs 200 crore mark globally," Wankhede added.

 

The big-budget multilingual film, which opened in theatres worldwide on Thursday, is directed by Nag Ashwin of "Mahanati" fame and is hailed as a fusion of the Hindu epic Mahabharata and science fiction.

 

While it's too early, "Kalki 2898 AD" has all the makings of a "blockbuster hit", with its Hindi version pegged to be "the biggest opener of this year so far", said trade expert Taran Adarsh.