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Michael India box office: Michael Jackson biopic off to good start; beats Dhurandhar 2, Bhooth Bangla on their home turf
Michael box office collection day 1: The Michael Jackson biopic earned ₹5.50 crore net in India on its first day, including the paid previews.
Michael box office collection day 1: The biopic of Michael Jackson has released in theatres worldwide. And despite the negative reviews, it is on track to break box-office records for musical biopics globally. In India, where Michael was a huge star in his lifetime, fans have turned up to the theatres in huge numbers, making the film the number 1 at the Indian box office, surpassing strong local releases.
Michael box office update
Michael, which stars his nephew Jaafar Jackson in the titular role, released in India on Friday with paid previews on Thursday. According to the local distributors, the film earned ₹2.40 crore gross in paid previews, followed by ₹4+ crore gross on day 1. The film’s opening day collection stands at ₹5.50 crore net in India ( ₹6.60 crore gross). This is the best start for a musical biopic in the Indian market, easily beating the likes of Elvis and Bohemian Rhapsody.
What is truly encouraging for Michael is that not only did it completely obliterate the competing Bollywood release, Ginny Wedss Sunny 2, but also beat the absolute collections of Bhooth Bangla and Dhurandhar 2, the other two big Bollywood films running in theatres. On Friday, compared to Michael’s ₹5.50 crore, Ginny Wedss Sunny 2 earned a paltry ₹30 lakh. Bhooth Bangla, which began its second week on Friday, gave some competition with a collection of ₹5.15 crore net. Dhurandhar 2, one of the biggest hits in Bollywood history, was way behind the day's earnings of ₹1.60 crore. To be fair, Michael received a boost from paid previews, while Dhurandhar 2 is late in its run, with its buzz having died down since its release six weeks ago.
Michael makes waves globally
While the domestic collection figures for Michael (from North America) are yet to be released, it is already on course to be a hit internationally. Including paid previews, the film has opened to $30 million overseas. This includes the $700K it has earned from India. In most markets, the film has set the record for the best start for a musical biopic.
Directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by John Logan, Michael also stars Nia Long, Laura Harrier, Miles Teller, and Colman Domingo. The film chronicles Michael Jackson's journey from Gary, Indiana, to global superstar, featuring his early years with the Jackson 5, his breakthrough album Off The Wall, and his superstardom with Thriller.
