New Delhi: Siddarth Anand’s directorial venture, ‘Fighter’, has already made substantial strides in revenue even before its official release, selling over 75,000 tickets across the top three national chains for its opening day. The film has become a significant topic of discussion with a reported overall sale of 150,000 tickets throughout the country, according to Sacnilk.com.
The anticipation surrounding “Fighter” is palpable, primarily owing to its stellar cast featuring Deepika Padukone, Hrithik Roshan, and Anil Kapoor. Notably, the film marks India’s first foray into the genre of aerial action, with Hrithik portraying an air force officer for the first time on the big screen. The storyline revolves around the Pulwama attack and the Balakot airstrike, with Hrithik Roshan in the role of Squadron Leader Shamsher Pathania (aka Patty), Deepika Padukone as Squadron Leader Minal Rathore (aka Minni), and Anil Kapoor portraying Group Captain Rakesh Jai Singh (aka Rocky).
The 2D version of the film has already sold an impressive 50,093 tickets, amassing over ₹13.35 crore, while the 3D version outperforms with 68,709 tickets sold and a collection of over ₹2.24 crore. With more than 9,225 shows booked across India, Fighter has achieved a commendable advance ticket sales figure of over ₹5.06 crore for its release on January 25.
The lead stars, Hrithik Roshan and Deepika Padukone, have been actively engaged in promoting advance ticket bookings. This collaboration marks Hrithik’s third venture with Siddarth Anand, following the success of their previous thrillers, Bang Bang and War, which grossed ₹340 crore and ₹471 crore, respectively. Fighter is expected to cross the coveted 100-crore mark within the initial days, given its remarkable advance booking figures. Further growth in sales is anticipated post-release, depending on positive reviews and word of mouth.
Scheduled to hit theaters one day before Republic Day on January 26, ‘Fighter’ has faced a setback in Gulf countries, where it has been banned except for the UAE. According to Girish Johar, a film business expert and producer, “#Fighter officially banned across Middle East regions for theatrical release. Only UAE will release the film with PG15 classification!” Despite this, the film’s impressive pre-release performance suggests that it is poised to soar high at the box office.