Advance bookings: 'Animal' dominates 'Sam Bahadur' with Rs. 4cr
What's the story
As the Friday (December 1) showdown between Ranbir Kapoor's Animal and Vicky Kaushal's Sam Bahadur draws near, fans are buzzing with excitement.
While both films have generated significant pre-release hype, Kapoor's gritty crime saga is seemingly outpacing Kaushal's biopic based on the life of Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw.
In comparison to Animal's Rs. 4.24cr day one advance booking haul, Sam Bahadur has reportedly amassed Rs. 50.15 lakh so far.
Context
Why does this story matter?
On August 11, too, the Indian box office witnessed a major clash between Sunny Deol's Gadar 2 and Akshay Kumar's OMG 2, which, among other films, helped Bollywood amass Rs. 800cr in August alone.
Despite the clash, Gadar 2 claimed the title of the highest Hindi grosser before Shah Rukh Khan's Jawan surpassed it.
Now, as Animal and Sam Bahadur gear up for a face-off, expectations are high for another box office showdown.
Details
'Animal' already raked in Rs. 3.4cr in advance bookings: Report
Directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, Animal has already sold a whopping 1.38 lakh tickets for its opening day across India, raking in an impressive Rs. 4.24 crore in advance booking collections, reported Sacnilk.
With 1.13 lakh tickets sold in Hindi, 24,900 in Telugu-speaking regions, and 280 in Tamil, Animal is poised to become one of Kapoor's biggest career openings.
The film also stars Anil Kapoor, Rashmika Mandanna, and Bobby Deol.
Advance booking haul
'Sam Bahadur' lags behind 'Animal' with major difference
Sam Bahadur has reportedly garnered 14,580 advance day-one bookings, accumulating a collection of Rs. 50.15 lakh, per Sacnilk.
The real challenge lies ahead as trade analysts wonder if it can rival the potentially massive box office success of Animal.
Meghna Gulzar has directed the biopic, starring Kaushal as the lead, alongside Sanya Malhotra as Manekshaw's wife, Silloo, and Fatima Sana Shaikh taking on the role of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
Plotlines
'Animal,' 'Sam Bahadur' offer contrasting cinematic experiences
Animal follows the story of Kapoor's character, a business family heir seeking vengeance after an attack on his father.
The film's lengthy runtime of over three hours and its "A" rating have only heightened the anticipation.
Meanwhile, Sam Bahadur dives into the life of Manekshaw, the first Indian Army officer to become a field marshal, and his crucial role in the historic victory in the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war.