Sriram Raghavan's period war drama Ikkis has completed its first week in Indian cinemas with a respectable total, managing to carve out its own space despite the towering presence of a major competitor. The film, which marks the debut of Agastya Nanda alongside veterans Jaideep Ahlawat and the late Dharmendra, has earned Rs 24.25 crore in its first seven days.
Week One Performance: A Detailed Breakdown
The film opened strongly on Thursday, January 1st (New Year's Day), scoring its highest single-day collection of Rs 7 crore. However, as is typical, the collections saw a dip on the following day (Day 2, Friday), bringing in Rs 3.5 crore. The film picked up momentum over the weekend, collecting Rs 4.65 crore on Saturday and seeing a further rise to Rs 5 crore on Sunday.
The weekdays presented the real test. On Monday (Day 5), earnings fell sharply to Rs 1.35 crore, followed by a minor improvement to Rs 1.6 crore on Tuesday. The first week concluded on Wednesday (Day 7) with the film's lowest single-day figure so far at Rs 1.15 crore, bringing the cumulative total to the aforementioned Rs 24.25 crore.
The Dhurandhar Challenge: A David vs. Goliath Scenario
The true context of Ikkis's performance is defined by the colossal success of its direct competitor, Aditya Dhar's period spy thriller Dhurandhar, starring Ranveer Singh. The competing film, which is in its fifth week, continues to earn more in a single day than Ikkis managed on most of its weekdays.
In the past week alone, Dhurandhar earned over Rs 4 crore daily for three consecutive days. In contrast, Ikkis only crossed the Rs 4-crore mark on its three best days: the opening day (a holiday) and the weekend. According to its producer Jio Studios, Dhurandhar has now earned over Rs 830 crore domestically, making it the highest-grossing Hindi film ever in India.
Analysis: Holding Its Own in a Crowded Market
Given the immense shadow cast by Dhurandhar, the performance of Ikkis is being viewed as a sign of resilience. The film, with a relatively new lead and a smaller scale, has managed to attract an audience despite the overwhelming popularity of the other patriotic drama, which also deals with the Indo-Pak conflict.
This is a feat that several other recent releases could not achieve. Films like the Kartik Aaryan-Ananya Panday starrer Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri and Kapil Sharma's Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon 2 have struggled significantly, with the latter even opting for a re-release this Friday to get a second chance.
Ikkis has demonstrated that content with a distinct narrative, even in a similar genre, can find its audience. The film's ability to maintain collections, however modest, in the face of a box office juggernaut speaks to the strength of Sriram Raghavan's direction and the film's critical word-of-mouth.
