Mumbai: Salaar, the much-awaited action thriller starring Prabhas, has set the box office on fire with its phenomenal opening. The film, which released on December 22, 2023, has earned a whopping Rs 95 crore in India on its first day, across all languages, according to early estimates by Sacnilk. This makes it the biggest opener of the year, surpassing the collections of other big-budget films like Pathaan, Jawan, and Animal.
Salaar dominates the southern markets
Salaar, which is the first part of a two-part series, has received an overwhelming response from the audience, especially in the southern states. The film has collected Rs 70 crore in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, where it was released in over 2,000 screens. The film has registered an impressive occupancy of 88.93% in the Telugu-speaking regions, where Prabhas enjoys a huge fan following.
The film has also performed well in Karnataka and Kerala, where it has earned Rs 12 crore and Rs 5 crore respectively. The film has received positive reviews from the critics and the audience in these states, who have praised the film’s action sequences, cinematography, and background score.
Salaar beats the Bollywood biggies
Salaar has also made a mark in the Hindi belt, where it has faced stiff competition from Bollywood releases. The film has earned Rs 8 crore in the Hindi version, which is a remarkable feat for a dubbed film. The film has beaten the opening day collections of Shah Rukh Khan’s Pathaan, which had earned Rs 57 crore in India on its first day. Pathaan, which marked the comeback of Shah Rukh Khan after a gap of three years, had received mixed reviews from the critics and the audience.
Salaar has also surpassed the opening day collections of Jawan and Animal, which had earned Rs 75 crore and Rs 63 crore respectively. Jawan, which starred Akshay Kumar and Katrina Kaif, was a patriotic drama that received positive reviews from the critics and the audience. Animal, which starred Ranbir Kapoor and Anushka Sharma, was a dark comedy that received mixed reviews from the critics and the audience.
Salaar: A violent saga of revenge and redemption
Salaar, which is directed by Prashanth Neel, who is known for his blockbuster KGF series, is a violent saga of revenge and redemption. The film stars Prabhas as Salaar, a ruthless gangster who is on a mission to avenge the death of his father and brother, who were killed by a rival gang. The film also stars Prithviraj Sukumaran as Ashok, the leader of the rival gang, Shruti Haasan as Anjali, Salaar’s love interest, and Jagapathi Babu as Ram, Salaar’s mentor and friend.
The film, which is produced by Vijay Kiragandur under the banner of Hombale Films, has a runtime of 2 hours and 55 minutes and has been certified ‘A’ by the censor board. The film has several scenes of bloodshed, violence, and gore, which are not suitable for children and faint-hearted viewers. The film also has a cliffhanger ending, which sets the stage for the second part, which is expected to be released in 2024.
Salaar receives mixed reviews from the critics
Salaar has received mixed reviews from critics, who have appreciated the film’s technical aspects but have criticized the film’s weak storyline and screenplay. News18 Showsha’s review of Salaar reads, “The problem with a film like Salaar is that it focuses too much on the aesthetics and neglects the storyline. The film veers erratically back and forth between the past and present. I got a little lost in the movie way too soon because of the disorganized writing, characters that were introduced faster than a meteoroid colliding with Earth, and a plot that only really started up after the intermission.”
“Overall, Salaar is only for Prabhas fans and for those who feel an assault on the senses is a form of cinema. But if you love your eardrums and have had your fill of the super-heroic exploits of an underdog-turned-top dog hero, you can give this film a probable miss,” it added.
Other critics have also given similar ratings and reviews to the film, which has an average rating of 3 out of 5 stars on various platforms. However, the film has received a positive response from the audience, who have given it a thumbs up on social media and have praised Prabhas’s performance and screen presence. The film has also created a lot of buzz and hype on social media, where it has been trending with hashtags like #Salaar, #SalaarDay, and #Prabhas.
