Ajay Devgn is one of the most consistent names in the Hindi film industry when it comes to delivering hard-hitting dramas, action entertainers, and content-backed thrillers. With a career spanning over three decades, the actor has built a strong fan base and headlined several commercially and critically successful films. His versatility has seen him juggle intense dramas, supernatural thrillers, patriotic sagas, and gritty actioners with equal ease. However, when it comes to box office openings, the results have been mixed, varying with genres, franchise associations, and release windows.
As his upcoming film Raid 2 gears up for release with an impressive advance booking of Rs 5.02 crore already in the bag a day before it’s release, it’s worth revisiting how Ajay’s past films have fared on their opening day since pandemic — and what this means for the future of his sequels and franchise films in the
A Look Back: Ajay Devgn’s Day 1 Collections in Recent Years
Let’s first revisit the opening day figures of some of his notable releases over the past few years:
Singham Again (2024) – Rs 43.5 croreRohit Shetty ’s Cop Universe has been a gamechanger for Ajay, and Singham Again proved no different. The film roared to a massive Rs 43.5 crore on Day 1, reaffirming Ajay’s stronghold in the action genre and within the franchise setup. It became one of the biggest openers of his career.- Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha (2024) – Rs 1.85 crore
This romantic drama had a modest opening. While the film catered to a niche audience, its Day 1 figure reflected limited appeal despite Ajay’s presence. - Maidaan (2024) – Rs 2.6 crore
A period sports drama based on Indian football’s golden era, Maidaan opened to a lukewarm Rs 2.6 crore. Despite good reviews, it struggled to gain momentum at the box office initially. - Shaitaan (2024) – Rs 14.75 crore
A supernatural thriller produced by Devgn, Shaitaan surprised trade analysts with a strong Rs 14.75 crore opening.
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Will Raid 2 be able to set a new benchmark for Ajay Devgn’s opening collections?
- Bholaa (2023) – Rs 11.2 crore
An action-packed remake of Kaithi, Bholaa saw a decent opening of Rs 11.2 crore. While not earth-shattering, it reflected steady interest in Ajay’s action avatar. Drishyam 2 (2022) – Rs 15.38 crore
One of his biggest non-action openers in recent years, Drishyam 2 leveraged the goodwill of its predecessor and the gripping narrative to clock Rs 15.38 crore on Day 1. It went on to become a blockbuster.- Runway 34 (2022) – Rs 3.40 crore
Aviation thriller Runway 34 opened to Rs 3.40 crore, struggling amidst competition and a genre that seldom excites masses. Tanhaji : The Unsung Warrior (2020) – Rs 15.10 crore
A massive historical epic, Tanhaji stormed the box office with Rs 15.10 crore on Day 1, later emerging as one of the highest grossers of 2020 and a landmark film in Devgn’s career.
Why Raid 2’s Opening Is Being Keenly Watched
With an advance booking figure of Rs 5.02 crore, Raid 2 is generating strong pre-release buzz, and the trade is predicting a Day 1 collection in the Rs 12-15 crore range. This would position it alongside or slightly above Shaitaan, and on par with Tanhaji and Drishyam 2 in terms of non-franchise, high-concept films.
The sequel to 2018’s Raid — a critically appreciated and commercially successful film — Raid 2 benefits from brand recall and Ajay’s proven strength in intense, realistic dramas. It also comes at a time when content-driven thrillers have found a steady audience, both in cinemas and on OTT, suggesting Raid 2 might outperform expectations with a solid weekend hold.
Impact on Other Ajay Devgn Sequels and Franchises
Ajay Devgn is one of the few actors with multiple active franchises under his belt — Singham, Golmaal, Drishyam, Dhamaal. De De Pyaar De, Son of Sardaar, and now Raid. The performance of Raid 2 will be a crucial indicator of audience appetite for his brand of socially charged thrillers and determine the future green-lighting pace for similar projects.
Ajay Devgn’s Box Office Landscape: A Mixed Bag, But Franchises Hold Strong
What’s clear from the numbers is that while Ajay’s standalone films have seen varied Day 1 performances, his franchise films and thrillers backed by content have generally fared better. Tanhaji, Drishyam 2, Shaitaan, and Singham Again all delivered strong openings, while titles like Runway 34 and Maidaan underperformed.
This makes Raid 2 crucial. A strong opening would reaffirm the audience’s trust in his thriller dramas and justify expanding these universes. It could also drive producers to invest in high-quality scripts and scale up mid-budget thrillers for theatrical releases, a genre that has recently oscillated between OTT and cinema.
Ajay Devgn has built a unique space for himself — one where intense thrillers, action sagas, and emotionally charged dramas co-exist with commercial entertainers. His Day 1 figures over the years reflect a career that’s both genre-dependent and franchise-reliant.
As Raid 2 nears release with robust advance bookings, its performance could not just solidify the Raid series as a potential franchise, but also influence the future trajectory of Devgn’s other sequels like Drishyam 3, Bholaa 2, and Singham 4. More than just a box office number, Raid 2’s opening will be a referendum on audience appetite for smart, socially conscious thrillers — and Ajay Devgn’s ability to anchor them theatrically in an evolving Bollywood market.
The stakes are high, and if Raid 2 delivers, it might just kickstart a new golden run for Ajay’s mid-to-high budget thriller franchise universe.