Independence Day Box Office Report: A Strong Opening for ‘Stree 2’ as ‘Khel Khel Mein’ and ‘Veda’ Struggle
Mumbai: Independence Day proved to be a blockbuster day for Shraddha Kapoor and Rajkummar Rao’s horror-comedy sequel, Stree 2. Released on 15th August 2024, Stree 2 shattered records with a massive opening day collection of ₹45.75 crores, making it the highest-grossing Hindi film debut of the year so far. However, this success came at the expense of two other films released on the same day—Khel Khel Mein and Veda—both of which failed to make a significant impact at the box office.
‘Stree 2’ Steals the Spotlight
Directed by Amar Kaushik, Stree 2 rode high on the success of its predecessor, drawing large crowds across the country. The film’s combination of horror, humor, and star power proved irresistible, achieving a record-breaking occupancy rate of 77.09% on its first day. The buzz surrounding the film was further fueled by Akshay Kumar’s surprise cameo, which garnered widespread praise and added to the film’s appeal.
In contrast, the other two releases of the day, Khel Khel Mein and Veda, struggled to gain momentum. Despite being headlined by major stars, both films failed to capitalize on the Independence Day holiday, with their earnings paling in comparison to Stree 2.
‘Khel Khel Mein’ Falls Short Despite Akshay Kumar’s Star Power
Mudassar Aziz’s comedy-drama Khel Khel Mein featured a star-studded cast including Akshay Kumar, Vaani Kapoor, Taapsee Pannu, Fardeen Khan, Aditya Seal, and Pragya Jaiswal. Despite this ensemble, the film managed only ₹5.05 crores on its opening day. Interestingly, Khel Khel Mein saw a higher audience occupancy rate of 40.26% compared to Veda but still lagged behind in earnings due to lower ticket prices.
The film performed slightly better in the Delhi-NCR region, particularly in multiplexes, but this was not enough to boost its overall box office performance. The contrast between the film’s occupancy rate and its revenue highlights the impact of pricing strategies on box office success.
‘Veda’ Struggles in Face of Competition
On the other hand, Veda, directed by Nikkhil Advani and starring John Abraham and Sharvari Wagh, fared marginally better than Khel Khel Mein with a first-day collection of ₹6.30 crores. Despite this, the film struggled to compete with Stree 2 in terms of audience engagement, achieving an average occupancy rate of 35.63%.
Veda performed relatively well in certain regions like Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh, particularly in single-screen theaters and Hindi circuits. However, the film’s overall performance was still underwhelming, considering the potential for a stronger opening on a national holiday.
Worldwide Collections: ‘Stree 2’ Leads the Pack
The global box office performance further highlighted the disparity between Stree 2 and its competitors. Stree 2 grossed an impressive ₹80 crores worldwide on its opening day, overshadowing both Khel Khel Mein and Veda by a significant margin. In comparison, Veda earned ₹9.47 crores globally, while Khel Khel Mein managed only ₹7.55 crores.
In international markets, Veda slightly outperformed Khel Khel Mein with earnings of ₹2 crores compared to ₹1.50 crores. However, neither film came close to the massive international success of Stree 2.
The Road Ahead
Despite their disappointing starts, both Khel Khel Mein and Veda still have the potential to improve their box office standings in the coming days. With the weekend ahead and the partial holiday of Raksha Bandhan on Monday, these films have a chance to recover some ground.
However, the comparison with last year’s releases paints a challenging picture. OMG 2, which featured a cameo by Akshay Kumar, managed to collect ₹10.26 crores on its opening day despite competing with the blockbuster Gadar 2. This year, with the advantage of a holiday release, both Khel Khel Mein and Veda had high expectations that remain unmet.
As the weekend progresses, it will be interesting to see if either film can gain traction or if Stree 2 will continue to dominate the box office, setting the stage for a highly successful run.
