Big Stars, Big Sequel: Declared Disaster on Day 1?

Sequels often carry the weight of expectations, especially when the original film made an impact and the lead star is someone like Ajay Devgn. Audiences look forward to both nostalgic callbacks and an upgrade in entertainment value.

However, the box office can be a fickle battleground, and Son Of Sardaar 2 is a recent example of how even popular franchises can fall short on arrival.Despite a wide release and a high-profile cast, the film’s opening day earnings came in at just Rs 6.50–7 crore, marking one of the lowest debuts in Ajay Devgn’s career.

More notably, this figure is less than half of what the first Son Of Sardaar collected over a decade ago, even though it had fewer screens and inflation was lower. The sequel’s performance has left fans and analysts surprised by the stark contrast.

Competition from successful holdover titles like Saiyaara and Mahavatar Narsimha further complicates the situation. In fact, Saiyaara is expected to surpass Son Of Sardaar 2’s entire opening weekend numbers in its third weekend, indicating stronger audience engagement with newer narratives.

Despite being part of an established franchise, Son Of Sardaar 2 appears to be struggling to maintain relevance. The film has also received mixed to negative feedback, with limited appeal in metro cities and underwhelming occupancy in key regions.

Projections estimate the film’s opening weekend will close around Rs 22 crore, with a lifetime total unlikely to cross Rs 40 crore unless word-of-mouth drastically changes course. Tier-2 cities offered some support, but it wasn’t enough to offset the lackluster response in urban centers.

Ultimately, the underperformance of Son Of Sardaar 2 demonstrates that familiar faces and legacy titles are no longer sufficient in today’s market. Strong storytelling and emotional connection remain critical, even for sequels with major stars and built-in fan bases.

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