Jailer 2 has already made history as Kollywood’s first ₹800 Cr film. But it could have gone much further. With its OTT release fixed for November 12, the film missed out on the Diwali weekend, and several big milestones along with it.
By most estimates, the early OTT window has cost Jailer 2 around ₹100 Cr at the box office.
No Diwali Blast
Usually, a film still running well would cash in on the Diwali holidays. Jailer 2 couldn’t.
With the OTT release just days away, theatres had already signed agreements for the new releases: Ramayana, Suriya’s Scene and Mookuthi Amman 2. Most screens moved to these films, and Jailer 2 was left with very few shows.
If the OTT release had been at least two weeks later, many theatres would have kept running Jailer 2 instead of switching to a new film.
Just ₹5 Cr Over the Festival Weekend
The impact was clear. Over the entire Diwali weekend, Jailer 2 collected only around ₹5 Cr gross in India, a very small number for a film with its potential.
The Milestones It Missed
Because of the early exit from theatres, Jailer 2 has fallen short of several big milestones.
Jailer 2: Missed Milestones
- Tamil Nadu: Just above ₹215 Cr, short of Ponniyin Selvan 1’s all-time record of ₹230 Cr+
- Telugu States: Close to ₹96 Cr, short of ₹100 Cr
- Karnataka: Close to ₹95 Cr, short of ₹100 Cr
- Worldwide: Around ₹825 Cr in 25 days, short of ₹850 Cr
The film’s run is now almost over, with all these numbers close to their final totals.
Big Hindi Loss
The biggest loss came in the Hindi market. Because of the early OTT window, the Hindi version couldn’t release in national multiplex chains, which require a longer gap between theatrical and OTT release.
Even so, playing only in single screens, the Hindi version collected over ₹55 Cr gross in India. With a full release and an eight-week OTT window, it could easily have gone past ₹125 Cr.
No Hindi Promotions
The team also didn’t do any promotions in Hindi, even though the potential was clearly there. With a cast that includes Hrithik Roshan and Vidya Balan alongside Rajinikanth, a big promotional event in the Hindi belt could have created massive hype.
That’s exactly what the makers did with 2.0’s Hindi version, which went on to do huge business. For Jailer 2, that opportunity was missed.
The South Lost Out Too
The early OTT release hurt the South as well. Going by the trend, the film could easily have added another ₹30 Cr to ₹40 Cr gross in the southern markets with a longer theatrical run.
Where It Could Have Been
Put together, Jailer 2 has likely lost around ₹100 Cr because of the early OTT window.
With an eight-week window, the film could have closed at ₹950 Cr gross worldwide, and with the Hindi market’s huge potential, even ₹1,000 Cr wouldn’t have been out of reach.
A Record Run, With Regrets
Jailer 2’s run is still historic. But it will also be remembered as the film that could have gone much bigger, if it had stayed in theatres a little longer.
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