The Indian box office is currently presenting an interesting picture with three very different films competing for audience attention. On one side is ‘Mirzapur: The Movie’, starring Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal and Divyenndu and backed by the massive popularity of the ‘Mirzapur’ franchise. On the other is Vishal Chaturvedi’s ‘Hanuman Ansh’, which has transformed from a slow starter into one of the biggest surprise success stories of the year. Meanwhile, Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan’s ‘Haiwaan’ is struggling to make an impact in its opening weekend.

The biggest surprise remains ‘Hanuman Ansh’. Made on a reported budget of around ₹2 crore, the film has managed to build a strong theatrical run through audience word of mouth and sustained demand.

Mirzapur: The Movie Earns ₹13.25 Crore on Day 10

‘Mirzapur: The Movie’ continued its strong run during its second weekend, although its Sunday growth was slightly lower than Saturday.

According to a Navbharat Times report citing Sacnilk figures, the film earned ₹13.25 crore net on Day 10, Sunday. It had collected ₹13.50 crore on Saturday and ₹9.50 crore on Friday.

The film’s India net collection has reached ₹184.70 crore, while its India gross is around ₹220.04 crore. Its overseas gross is reported at approximately ₹46 crore, taking the worldwide gross to around ₹266.04 crore.

So, calling ‘Mirzapur: The Movie’ a weak performer would be inaccurate. The film continues to post strong numbers and has clearly benefited from the huge popularity of the original ‘Mirzapur’ franchise.

Hanuman Ansh Shocks Again on Day 38

The biggest box-office story right now is undoubtedly ‘Hanuman Ansh’.

Directed by Vishal Chaturvedi, the film collected a staggering ₹22.50 crore net on Day 38, Sunday. Its India net collection has now reached ₹214.63 crore, while its worldwide collection is reported at approximately ₹268.05 crore.

What makes the achievement even more remarkable is the film’s opening. ‘Hanuman Ansh’ started with just ₹10 lakh on Day 1. It initially had a limited theatrical presence, but audience word of mouth gradually changed its fortunes.

According to the Navbharat Times report, by Day 38 the film had increased its shows to 8,902, while ‘Mirzapur: The Movie’ had 7,225 shows.

The shift in show allocation reflects the growing demand for the spiritual drama.

Hanuman Ansh Beats Mirzapur Across the Weekend

The reported weekend figures show that ‘Hanuman Ansh’ earned more than ‘Mirzapur: The Movie’ on all three days.

On Friday, ‘Hanuman Ansh’ collected ₹10.50 crore, compared with ₹9.50 crore for ‘Mirzapur: The Movie’.

On Saturday, ‘Hanuman Ansh’ earned ₹18.50 crore, while ‘Mirzapur: The Movie’ collected ₹13.50 crore.

On Sunday, ‘Hanuman Ansh’ collected ₹22.50 crore, while ‘Mirzapur: The Movie’ earned ₹13.25 crore.

However, it is important to remember that the two films are at very different stages of their theatrical runs. ‘Mirzapur: The Movie’ is in its second week, while ‘Hanuman Ansh’ has completed 38 days. The comparison therefore reflects current audience demand rather than an overall verdict on the films.

Haiwaan Struggles in Its Opening Weekend

The situation is considerably tougher for Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan’s ‘Haiwaan’.

Directed by Priyadarshan, the film arrived with considerable expectations, particularly because Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan are returning to the big screen together after nearly 17 years.

However, the box-office numbers have not matched those expectations.

The film reportedly earned around ₹3 crore on Friday, ₹2.50 crore on Saturday and ₹1.85 crore on Sunday.

Its opening weekend India net collection stands at approximately ₹7.35 crore, while the worldwide collection is reported at around ₹11.55 crore.

With a reported budget of approximately ₹130 crore, the opening is a major concern for the film.

The Indian Express reported that ‘Haiwaan’ also lost around 1,400 screens amid rising demand for ‘Hanuman Ansh’, with more shows being added for the latter.

How Did Hanuman Ansh Turn Its Box Office Fate Around?

The journey of ‘Hanuman Ansh’ is particularly interesting because the film did not begin with a big opening.

After collecting just ₹10 lakh on Day 1, the film gradually built an audience. Its spiritual subject and story inspired by the life and legacy of Neem Karoli Baba connected with viewers, while positive word of mouth helped drive further growth.

As audience response strengthened, theatres also increased the number of shows.

A ₹22.50 crore collection on Day 38 indicates that the film has now moved well beyond its initial target audience.

Mirzapur: The Movie Remains Strong

Despite being outperformed by ‘Hanuman Ansh’ over the reported weekend, ‘Mirzapur: The Movie’ remains in a strong position.

The film has reportedly collected ₹184.70 crore India net and around ₹266 crore worldwide in just 10 days.

Its biggest advantage remains the established fan base of the ‘Mirzapur’ franchise. The original series created a huge audience on streaming platforms, giving the film considerable awareness and anticipation even before its theatrical release.

The next important test will be the film’s weekday hold. If it continues to maintain strong numbers after the second weekend, the ₹200 crore India net milestone should be within reach.

Haiwaan Faces an Uphill Battle

For ‘Haiwaan’, the road ahead looks significantly tougher.

After an opening weekend of around ₹7.35 crore, the film will need a substantial improvement during the weekdays to stay competitive.

Despite featuring two major stars in Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan, the audience response has so far been below expectations. The film’s future will now depend heavily on whether positive word of mouth can improve its theatrical performance.

What the Current Box Office Trend Tells Us

The numbers of these three films highlight an interesting trend in the current theatrical market.

An established franchise like ‘Mirzapur: The Movie’ is benefiting from a strong pre-existing audience base. A relatively small-budget spiritual film like ‘Hanuman Ansh’ is delivering an extraordinary performance through word of mouth. Meanwhile, a star-driven film like ‘Haiwaan’ is struggling to convert its star power into theatrical footfall.

The current box office, therefore, is not simply about star power. Audience connect, content and word of mouth are playing an equally important role in determining theatrical success.

And right now, the biggest surprise story of this box-office race remains ‘Hanuman Ansh’.