Shankar and Kamal Haasan have made a triumphant return with “Indian 2,” the much-awaited sequel to their 1996 cult vigilante drama, “Indian.” After an 18-year wait, the film has opened to a promising ₹25.6 crore on its first day, despite receiving largely negative reviews. According to Sacnilk, the pan-Indian film’s impressive earnings include ₹16.5 crore from the Tamil version, ₹7.9 crore from the Telugu version, and ₹1.2 crore from the Hindi version. In Telugu and Hindi, the film was released as “Bharateeyudu 2” and “Hindustani 2,” respectively.
“Indian 2” faced stiff competition at the box office, particularly in the Hindi market, where it clashed with Sudha Kongara’s “Soorarai Pottru” remake “Sarfira,” starring Akshay Kumar. Additionally, the film is contending with Nag Ashwin’s pan-Indian dystopian sci-fi epic “Kalki 2898 AD,” which continues to dominate theaters across the country. This film features stars like Prabhas, Amitabh Bachchan, and Deepika Padukone, with Kamal Haasan playing the chief antagonist, Supreme Yaskin, expected to have more screen time in its sequel.
About Indian 2
The sequel marks a significant comeback for director Shankar, who experienced a downturn following the death of writer Sujatha in 2008. The Shankar-Sujatha collaboration had previously produced numerous hits in the Tamil film industry, including the highly acclaimed “Enthiran,” starring Rajinikanth and Aishwarya Rai. Other hits from the duo include “Indian,” “Mudhalvan,” “Boys,” and “Shivaji: The Boss.”
In “Indian 2,” Kamal Haasan reprises his role as Senapathy, affectionately known as ‘Indian Thatha’ by fans. Senapathy continues his fight against corruption, utilizing the ancient Indian martial art practice of ‘varma kalai.’ While A R Rahman composed the music for the original film, Anirudh has taken on the role for the sequel. Jointly produced by Lyca Productions and Red Giant Movies, the film also stars Siddharth, S J Suryah, Bobby Simha, Gulshan Grover, and the late Nedumudi Venu.
In an effort to maximize viewership, the film’s producers sought permission from the Tamil Nadu government to hold early morning shows at 6 am, similar to neighboring states Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana. Although the request was denied, the producers secured permission to add an extra show each day for the first three days, resulting in five shows daily.
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