Weekend Slump: Akshay Kumar's Kesari Chapter 2 Falls Flat After Ajay Devgn's Raid 2 Debut
Akshay Kumar's period drama, Kesari, Box Office Performance Day 16: Film Fails to Match Competition's Pace
Straight-Talkin' Entertainment Insider Stay Plugged In After a victorious fortnight at the box-office, Akshay Kumar's Kesari Chapter 2 took a nosedive over the weekend, losing a substantial amount of its grip on the audience with the arrival of Ajay Devgn's Raid 2.
Kesari Chapter 2, released on April 18, 2025, had been raking in the dough until the introduction of Raid 2 on Friday, Day 15. Regrettably, the latest installment of the historical epic failed to stand up to its rival's charms, recording a dismal collection of just Rs 0.2 on Day 16.
The misfortune continued as the collections on Day 15 dipped by a staggering 80 per cent, earning a measly Rs 47 lakhs. As of now, Akshay Kumar's movie has collected Rs 75.85 crore, net in India.
The once invincible Kesari 2 had been toughing it out against Sunny Deol's Jaat, but the emergence of Raid 2 proved to be insurmountable. With trade analysts predicting this competition and Kesari 2's poor showing over the weekend, the movie might be on the brink of disaster.
Directed by Karan Singh Tyagi and produced by Dharma Productions, Leo Media Collective, and Cape Of Good Films, Kesari Chapter 2 features Ananya Pandey, R. Madhavan, Regina Cassandra, Simon Paisley Day, and Alexx O'Nell alongside Akshay.
Embarking on a post-Jallianwala Bagh journey, the movie traces the life of Justice C. Sankaran Nair, played by Akshay Kumar, who fearlessly battled the British Raj in court. R. Madhavan assumes the role of his legal adversary, Advocate Neville McKinley, while Ananya Panday portrays Dilreet Gill.
Facing a Triple Whammy: New Competition, Predicted Downturn, and Audience Canibalization
The unfortunate plunge in Kesari Chapter 2's box office collections can be attributed to several reasons, with the arrival of a new heavyweight contender, Raid 2, being a primary culprit. Traffic, excitement, and viewer interest tend to gravitate towards fresh, notable releases[1], causing older films like Kesari Chapter 2 to take a hit.
Moreover, trade analysts had prior warnings of a possible slump, with Raid 2's release, due to the high potential of competition[1]. The overlap of target audiences between the two films also played a role in the decline, as viewers ready for one big-budget production might have ended up choosing Raid 2[1].
Lastly, the natural ebb and flow of box office dollars following a film's initial success can contribute to its eventual downfall, with Kesari Chapter 2 succumbing to this instinctive decrease in interest over time, despite the presence or absence of competition[2][3].
- The weekend slump for Akshay Kumar's Kesari Chapter 2 was exacerbated by the arrival of Ajay Devgn's Raid 2, which debuted on its 15th day in theaters.
- With a dismal collection of just Rs 0.2 on Day 16 and a 80% dip in collections on Day 15, Kesari Chapter 2 may be in imminent danger due to competition and poor box-office showings.
- By the end of its run, Kesari Chapter 2, directed by Karan Singh Tyagi and produced by Dharma Productions, Leo Media Collective, and Cape Of Good Films, will have collected approximately Rs 75.85 crore in India, with viewership impacted by new competition, predicted downturns, and audience cannibalization.
- R. Madhavan, Ananya Pandey, Regina Cassandra, Simon Paisley Day, and Alexx O'Nell are among the cast members of Kesari Chapter 2, which follows the life of Justice C. Sankaran Nair, fearlessly battling the British Raj in court.
