Two new films hit theatres this week Baahubali: The Epic and The Taj Story. Surprisingly, The Taj Story, which opened to mixed reviews, is doing better at the box office than the re-release of the Prabhas-led epic.
The Paresh Rawal starrer showed strong growth on its second and third days. The final numbers are still coming in, but the film has clearly found an audience. From a modest Rs. 1 crore opening, it jumped to Rs. 6 crores by the end of the weekend.
Meanwhile, Baahubali: The Epic, a combined re-release of both films, failed to break records. Its total stands around Rs. 4 crores and did not grow further by Sunday. Despite the hype, the response remained below expectations.
Trade experts online say the film is struggling to cross Rs. 100-150 crores. However, it is still set to become the highest-grossing re-release in India, even if it falls short of major box office milestones.
The underwhelming response to S.S. Rajamouli’s franchise has now raised questions about its upcoming expansion. The next entry, Baahubali The Eternal War, an ambitious two-part animated film, will have to prove the brand’s lasting appeal.
Social media reactions are split. Some users have praised The Taj Story, while others questioned its success, pointing out creative liberties that have already sparked backlash from certain viewers.
Fans also believe that merging both Baahubali films was unnecessary, as audiences have rewatched them several times on TV. Many felt the nearly four-hour runtime hurt its theatrical performance.
With Ajay Devgn’s De De Pyaar De 2 releasing in less than two weeks, it remains to be seen which of the two films will dominate the box office by the end of their theatrical runs.
