The much-anticipated Hollywood sequel, James Cameron's Avatar: Fire and Ash, had a decent but underwhelming start at the Indian box office. The film collected ₹20.05 crore on its opening day, a figure that immediately paled in comparison to the roaring success of the Hindi film Dhurandhar.
Avatar's Global Roar Meets Indian Reality
While the opening number seemed respectable at first glance, it fell significantly short of pre-release projections, which had estimated a day one collection of over ₹30 crore. This places the film's Indian performance as an exception to its otherwise strong global launch. The contrast became stark when compared to Dhurandhar, which, on its 15th day in theatres, earned a massive ₹22.5 crore. This means a two-week-old Hindi film outperformed a brand-new Hollywood blockbuster on its opening day in India.
Globally, however, Avatar: Fire and Ash is off to a powerful start. According to industry reports, the film amassed $43.1 million (approximately ₹386 crore) in just two days at the international box office, excluding China. It opened in 18 countries on Wednesday, 17 December 2025, and expanded to 25 more on Thursday, 18 December.
International Dominance and Premium Format Success
The film secured the biggest opening day of 2025 in numerous major markets, including Australia, France, Germany, Italy, and several others across Europe and Asia-Pacific. In China, early Friday estimates point to a $17.1 million (₹153 crore) opening day, claiming the number one spot. This is the third-highest opening day for a Hollywood film in China since 2022.
The premium format appeal of the Avatar franchise remained strong worldwide. In France, the film debuted at number one with a 50% market share, and 75% of its revenue came from 3D and premium formats. Germany reported a 67% market share with a staggering 80% of earnings from premium formats.
The Unstoppable Dhurandhar Phenomenon
Meanwhile, Aditya Dhar's directorial venture Dhurandhar, starring Akshaye Khanna, Ranveer Singh, and Arjun Rampal, continues its historic run. The film opened with ₹28 crore and showed phenomenal growth, culminating in a ₹207.25 crore first week.
Its second week was even more impressive, with collections peaking at ₹58 crore on the second Sunday. After adding its Day 15 collection of ₹22.5 crore, the film's India net total has reached approximately ₹505.65 crore. Its worldwide total, as of Day 14, stood at ₹710.5 crore, firmly establishing it as an all-time blockbuster.
A Telling Contrast for Hollywood in India
The simultaneous performance of these two films raises pointed questions about the market dynamics for Hollywood tentpoles in India. While Avatar: Fire and Ash enjoys global dominance and technological spectacle, Dhurandhar's compelling narrative and steady momentum have resonated more deeply with Indian audiences. The Hindi film has maintained strong weekday numbers and seen significant weekend jumps, a level of sustained excitement that the Avatar sequel could not generate on its opening day.
This box office clash underscores the power of local content and star-driven narratives in India, even when facing one of the world's most successful film franchises. The coming days will be crucial to see if Avatar: Fire and Ash can build momentum through word-of-mouth or if Dhurandhar will continue its unchallenged reign.
