Ajay Devgn and Riteish Deshmukh’s latest release, Raid 2, has opened to an impressive start at the box office, collecting Rs 18.25 crore on its first day (May 1). The gripping sequel to the 2018 hit Raid seems to have struck a chord with the audience, setting the stage for a promising weekend run.
According to industry tracker Sacnilk.com, the film recorded an overall Hindi occupancy of 31.81 per cent on Friday. The day began with a modest 21.23 per cent occupancy in the morning shows, which picked up to 35.76 per cent in the afternoon, and peaked at 38.45 per cent in the evening, indicating strong word-of-mouth traction and growing interest among moviegoers.
Trade analysts believe that this steady upward trend in occupancy reflects the audience’s positive reception of the film’s engaging narrative and powerful performances. With no major competition at the box office this week, Raid 2 is expected to continue its strong momentum through the weekend.
Also, the release of the film on a holiday, Maharashtra Day, has helped the Ajay-starrer to kickstart its box office run with an impressive collection.
In comparison to its precessdor, Raid 2 registered a stronger opening at the box office. While the first film in the franchise, Raid, debuted with Rs 10.04 crore, the sequel has surpassed that figure by a big margin.
Raid 2 beats Kesari 2, Jaat, Sky Force
This year, Ajay also outperformed other big releases, outpacing Akshay Kumar’s Sky Force (Rs 12.25 crore), Kesari Chapter 2 (Rs 7.75 crore) and Sunny Deol’s Jaat (Rs 9.50 crore) in terms of opening day collections. However, it failed to beat Vicky Kaushal’s Chhaava, which had earned Rs 31 crore on the first day of its release.
Directed by Raj Kumar Gupta, Raid 2 marks the return of Ajay Devgn as IRS officer Amay Patnaik, with Riteish Deshmukh joining the franchise in a pivotal role. The film blends high-stakes drama with thrill and patriotism, a formula that seems to be resonating well with both urban and mass audiences.
With a promising start, all eyes are now on the weekend numbers to see if Raid 2 can maintain its upward trajectory and emerge as one of the biggest openers of the year so far.
