Superstar Hrithik Roshan’s much-anticipated film “Fighter” hits theaters on January 25, 2024, marking the first major Bollywood release of the year. Despite high expectations, the movie failed to meet box office predictions in India, surprising trade analysts. While receiving positive reviews, the film’s box office collections fell short of anticipated levels, leaving both fans and trade experts shocked. The collaboration between Hrithik Roshan and director Siddharth Anand, known for delivering Shah Rukh Khan’s first 500 crore movie, “Pathaan,” added to the anticipation, making the underperformance even more unexpected.
Fighter Box Office Performance
– The movie started well with first-day collections of 23 crores, followed by a strong second day of 38 crores on the Republic Day holiday.
– The third day saw decent collections of 27 crores, but on the fourth day, which was a holiday, the growth was minimal, collecting just around 28 crores.
– The biggest shocker came on Monday, with the film collecting only 7.5 crores, leaving trade analysts puzzled about the unexpected downturn despite the star-studded cast, good music, a substantial budget, and a renowned director.
5 Possible Reasons For Fighter’s Underperformance
1. Average Trailer: The trailer, though decent, lacked uniqueness, resembling many previous action movies. Recent successful films with impactful trailers like “Animal” and “Jawaan” may have set higher expectations.
2. Lack of Promotions: Some industry experts felt that the marketing campaign failed to create widespread interest and pre-release buzz.
3. Overdose of Action Films: The recent surge in action movies may have led to audience fatigue with the genre, impacting “Fighter’s” performance.
4. Lack of Mass Appeal: Despite Hrithik Roshan’s loyal fanbase, “Fighter” primarily targeted urban multiplex audiences, limiting its reach to mass Hindi cinema audiences in Tier 2 and 3 cities. The film continues to perform well in Tier 1 cities.
5. Unfamiliar Genre: The focus on aerial combat in “Fighter” might have felt niche or less relatable to a broader audience. Comparisons to “Top Gun: Maverick” accentuated this, as viewers might have already experienced similar themes.
Interestingly, “Fighter” has fared better overseas, accumulating $8.5 million in eight days, notably driven by a solid total in the US and Canada. Looking ahead, Hrithik Roshan’s next project is “WAR 2,” a Pan India film in YRF Spy Universe, where he will face off against superstar JR NTR as the antagonist. Scheduled for a 2025 release, “WAR 2” is already touted as a blockbuster.
