It's SRK versus SRK: Trade experts predict 'Jawan' to break opening day record of 'Pathaan'

Mumbai: Shah Rukh Khan's "Jawan" is expected to earn over Rs 60 crore on day one to become the highest opening Hindi film ever, a record that was earlier set by the actor's blockbuster "Pathaan", trade experts predicted on Friday.

Directed by Tamil filmmaker Atlee, "Jawan" is a father-son story that addresses social and political issues through its hero, essayed by the Bollywood star. The film released on Thursday. The film also features Nayanthara and Vijay Sethupathi as well as Deepika Padukone in a special appearance.

According to trade expert Taran Adarsh, Shah Rukh will surpass his own record for the highest opening in a Hindi film with his new release. "It is Shah Rukh Khan vs Shah Rukh Khan, this is actually a return... We expect the Hindi version of 'Jawan" to earn anywhere between Rs 65 to Rs 70 crore. It is the highest for a Hindi film.Earlier, 'Pathaan' was the highest with Rs 55 crore, and now 'Jawan'. After 'Pathaan', the expectations were multifold and 'Jawan' fulfilled them," Adarsh said.

The pan-India thriller, which released in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu, was running to packed theatres in Delhi-NCR, Jaipur, Jammu, Mumbai and Kolkata. "Jawan" also features Priyamani, Sanya Malhotra, Girija Oak, Sanjeeta Bhattacharya, Lehar Khan, and Aaliyah Qureshi, who are part of the group of women supporting SRK's hero.

Chennai-based trade analyst Ramesh Bala said the box office collection of "Jawan" is expected to be "outstanding" and it may emerge as one of the highest grossing Hindi films in the South market. "We are expecting the Hindi version will do a business of about Rs 60 to Rs 65 crore, the Tamil and Telugu version should do about Rs 15 crore nett. "The overall India collection should be Rs 95 to Rs 100 crore gross, and the overseas collection should be Rs 40 crore. This is one of the highest grossing Hindi films in the South market. It is an encouraging sign for theatre owners and audiences," Bala told PTI.

Komal Nahta also predicted the opening day numbers to be around Rs 65 crore in India though he said he will wait for the official figures. Described by the makers as a high-octane thriller, "Jawan" outlines the story of a man set out to correct the wrongs of society. A Red Chillies Entertainment presentation, "Jawan" is produced by Gauri Khan and co-produced by Gaurav Verma.