“Jawan” has made an electrifying global debut today, and the initial box office numbers are pouring in. Shah Rukh Khan’s starrer raked in an impressive AUD 400,000 on its opening day in Australia. This remarkable figure positions it as the second-highest first-day earner for a Bollywood film in Australia, second only to SRK’s own “Pathaan.” It’s worth noting that “Pathaan” enjoyed a holiday release, while “Jawan” opened on a mid-week Thursday, making it the highest non-holiday opener in the Australian market. “Jawan” even outperformed Friday releases like “Brahmastra” and “Sanju.”
Pre-sales for the film on Friday have shown a 10 percent increase compared to the first day, with leading cinema chain HOYTS reporting higher sales. It’s expected that the film will target AUD 500,000 on the following day and experience another surge on Saturday. The four-day weekend in Australia is anticipated to culminate with a staggering AUD 2 million in earnings.
Remarkably, “Jawan” has created history by becoming the first Indian film to claim the top spot at the Australian box office, surpassing Hollywood releases such as “The Nun 2” and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.” Notably, “Pathaan” came close to achieving this historic feat six months ago, missing it by just AUD 7,000. Today, “Jawan” has made this achievement a reality, and it’s likely that more #1 openings will follow in different regions, including the Middle East.
Here are the top opening days for Bollywood films in Australia:
- “Pathaan”: AUD 566,745 (Holiday)
- “Jawan”: AUD 400,000 Plus
- “Padmaavat”: AUD 363,981 (Holiday)
- “Brahmastra – Part One”: AUD 304,580
- “Sanju”: AUD 264,570
In neighboring New Zealand, “Jawan” also secured a #1 debut with NZD 80,000 on its first day, ranking second only to “Pathaan.”
Furthermore, “Jawan” has taken the Middle East by storm, with an expected opening day gross of around USD 1.50 million. Combining these international figures with pre-sales in the Western markets, “Jawan” is poised to achieve an astonishing first-day overseas total of approximately USD 5 million (Rs. 40 crores plus). Initial estimates for its performance in India hovered around Rs. 85 crores (Rs. 70 crores Nett) just a few hours ago, with the potential for even higher numbers. When you tally it all up, “Jawan” is on course to achieve a phenomenal Rs. 125 crore plus on its first day. Stay tuned for the actual figures, which will be available tomorrow morning.