Ramayana was expected to break Dhurandhar 2’s opening record in North America with ease. It didn’t. The film edged past Dhurandhar 2’s premiere number by a small margin, but fell behind on its opening day, leaving its overall start short of the record.
The Record That Stayed
Dhurandhar 2, also known as Dhurandhar: The Revenge, holds the record for the biggest Bollywood opening in North America. It collected $2 million from premieres and $1.95 million on its opening day, for a total of $3.95 million.
Premieres: Just Ahead
Ramayana’s premieres came in at around $2 million, just ahead of Dhurandhar 2 by a small margin. Before release, the film had been expected to reach at least $2.25 million from premieres, so even this was below expectations.
Opening Day: Falls Behind
On its first full day, Ramayana slowed down. The film collected around $1.6 million, well below Dhurandhar 2’s $1.95 million.
That means Ramayana’s total opening, including premieres, comes in at around $3.6 million, short of Dhurandhar 2’s $3.95 million record.
North America Opening Comparison
- Dhurandhar 2: $2M premieres + $1.95M Day 1 = $3.95M
- Ramayana: $2M premieres + $1.6M Day 1 = $3.5M (approx.)
The Bigger Worry: $30 Million Target
The opening is only part of the story. Ramayana’s break-even mark in North America is around $30 million.
To put that in perspective, Dhurandhar 2, the biggest Bollywood opener in the region, finished its full North America run with $28.65 million. Ramayana needs to go past even that number just to break even.
With a smaller start than Dhurandhar 2, Ramayana’s trend in the coming days and weeks will need to be much stronger to get there.
Word of Mouth Is the Hope
Ramayana has received strong reviews and positive word of mouth, which could help it hold well over its opening weekend and beyond. The Diwali holidays could also bring in the Indian diaspora in large numbers.
But for a film with a $30 million target, a strong opening weekend is now crucial to set up the long run it needs.
