Akshay Kumar’s much-awaited film Bachchhan Pandey hit the theatres this Holi. Directed by Farhad Samji, this movie witnesses Akshay in a never-seen-before avatar alongside Kriti Sanon, Arshad Warsi and Jacqueline Fernandez. The movie was released in theaters on March 18, 2022, and has opened to double digits on its first day. However, this movie failed to break the record of Akshay’s movie Sooryavanshi on its Day 1 box office collection during the pandemic era.
Despite The Kashmir Files wave in the country and limited showcase, Akshay Kumar’s Bachchhan Pandey has done a business of Rs 13.25 crore at the domestic box-office. Film critic Taran Adarsh tweeted, “#BachchhanPaandey surprises, hits double digits on Day 1, despite [i] #TKF wave, [ii] limited showcasing and [iii] post-noon screenings due to #Holi festivities… #Mumbai, #Gujarat, mass pockets lead… Biz should grow on Day 2 and 3… Fri ₹ 13.25 cr. #India biz.”
In another post, Taran mentioned that Bachchhan Pandey has become the second biggest opener in the pandemic era and wrote, “TOP 4 *DAY 1* – PANDEMIC TIMES… 1. #Sooryavanshi: ₹ 26.29 cr [#Diwali] 2. #BachchhanPaandey: ₹ 13.25 cr [#Holi; shows from post-noon] 3. #83TheFilm: ₹ 12.64 cr [#Christmas] 4. #GangubaiKathiawadi: ₹ 10.50 cr [non-holiday release] #Hindi films. Nett BOC. #India biz.”
Though the film has opened to moderate business at the box-office, Akshay predicted that the box-office collection of the movie will be affected due to the release of S.S. Rajamouli’s RRR on March 25, 2022. While interacting with the media in Delhi, on being asked whether the box office business of Bachchhan Pandey will be affected by RRR, the actor said that because of the pandemic lots of films are going to be released one after another. Akki said, “Obviously it is going to impact each other. It is unfortunate but you have to deal with it, you have to go with it. It will take another year or so for the industry to return to normalcy.”
Also, when questioned about his views on the immense response of The Kashmir Files, Akshay was quoted saying by the media, “I hope everyone’s films work.”
Bachchhan Pandey is a remake of the 2014 Tamil film Jigarthanda by Jagame Thandhiram director Karthik Subbaraj. The mentioned Tamil film was inspired by the 2006 South Korean movie A Dirty Carnival.
Bachchhan Pandey witnesses Akshay Kumar in a rugged look playing the role of a baddie. The actor had to try out 8 different looks before finalising the iconic look of the titular character in the movie.
