'Raid 2' box office collection day 1: Ajay Devgn's latest film crosses ₹18 crore in India, outdoes Azaad's lifetime biz

Ajay Devgn's latest film Raid 2 has had a decent opening at the domestic box office. Raid 2, the official sequel of the 2018 film Raid, crossed ₹18 crore on its opening day. The film went on to rake in around ₹18.25 crore on its first day at the Indian box office. 

Raid 2's Hindi shows logged an overall occupancy of 34.36 per cent on Thursday, with its morning shows logging an occupancy of 21.23 per cent, as per film trade portal Sacnilk.

The film's afternoon, evening and night shows recorded an occupancy of 35.76 per cent, 38.45 per cent, and 42 per cent, respectively. The key contributors to the film's theatrical occupancy were Chennai (64 per cent), Bengaluru (59.50 per cent), Pune (53.50 per cent), Mumbai (52.50 per cent), and Hyderabad (36.25 per cent). 

The film's India business is likely to see a further boost on Friday and over the weekend. With this, Raid 2 surpassed the lifetime collections of the 2025 film Azaad, which featured Devgn in a pivotal role. Azaad marked the Bollywood debut of Raveena Tandon's daughter Rasha Thadani and Devgn's nephew Aaman Devgn. 

Azaad was a complete disaster at the box office. During its lifetime run, the film made a total of ₹7.42 crore in India and ₹8.69 crore globally. Raid 2 opened to mixed reviews from critics and moviegoers alike. 

"Devgn carries a quiet intensity in his eyes, and a purposeful walk that always conveys he's calculating his next move. All of this is effective - essential, even - but it doesn't assist the character he's playing. In 'Raid 2', the actor feels detached from Patnaik, never fully embodying him in a way that feels distinct or memorable," India Today's review of the film read. 

Directed by Rajkumar Gupta, Raid 2 is set 7 years after the events of the first film. The film follows IRS officer Amay Patnaik as he conducts his 75th raid on the premises of Dada Manohar Bhai after seizing over ₹4,200 crore inn his raids till then. 

Besides Ajay Devgn, the film stars Riteish Deshmukh, Vaani Kapoor, Saurabh Shukla, Rajat Kapoor, Supriya Pathak, and Amit Sial in significant roles. The film released in theatres worldwide on May 1.