Sunny Deol's Jaat or Ajith's Good Bad Ugly?: Mythri’s double gamble hits weekend box office crossfire

After a ₹9.5 crore opening on Thursday, Sunny Deol's Jaat slipped to ₹7 crore on Day 2. The two-day India total now stands at ₹16.50 crore, with a nearly 25% drop between Thursday and Friday.

The dip was expected, owing to its mid-week release. Friday’s morning occupancy was a weak 5.44%, improving slightly to 17.46% by night. The weekend now becomes crucial for recovery.

Compared to Deol’s Gadar 2, which stormed past ₹40 crore on Day 1 and ended its run above ₹525 crore, Jaat is running modest. Still, it has outpaced earlier titles like Yamla Pagla Deewana (₹7.75 crore) and Ghayal Once Again (₹5.50 crore), making it the actor’s second-best opener ever.

Jaat also marks a key North-South collaboration. It pairs Deol with Telugu director Gopichand Malineni, making his Hindi debut. The film brings together a diverse cast — Randeep Hooda, Saiyami Kher, Regina Cassandra, Vineet Kumar Singh, and Jagapathi Babu — aiming for pan-India appeal.

There’s also internal box office competition. Jaat is produced by Mythri Movie Makers and People Media Factory — the same team behind Ajith’s Good Bad Ugly, which released on the same day. It’s a rare clash between two high-budget films from the same production house.

Industry estimates suggest Jaat could collect around ₹40 crore over its four-day extended weekend if it maintains momentum in mass circuits. Smaller towns are responding well, but multiplex traction remains limited.

The real test begins Monday. With a reported budget of ₹100 crore, the film needs sustained performance to break even. Netflix has already secured the digital rights, offering a post-theatrical cushion.

While Jaat is unlikely to match Gadar 2’s hysteria, it marks a significant box office step for Deol’s new-age lineup — and for Bollywood-Tollywood crossovers.