'Animal' Day1: Ranbir Kapoor's film roars to box office glory, stirring controversy and smashing records

Ranbir Kapoor's latest film 'Animal' roared into the domestic box office with a staggering opening.

The film grosed approximately Rs 61 crore nett in India, according to early estimates by industry tracker Sacnilk.

Directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, the film's reception has been mixed, with criticisms of misogyny echoing sentiments similar to Vanga's earlier work, "Kabir Singh."

Nonetheless, "Animal" seems to have resonated with its audience, mirroring the success of Vanga's previous film.

Trade analyst Ramesh Bala reported a global gross collection ranging between Rs 110-115 crore on the film's opening day.

Additionally, the movie amassed $2.5 million in North America on its debut. The screening statistics reflect varying degrees of success across regions.

In Delhi NCR, with 1318 shows, the film secured an impressive 79% occupancy, while Mumbai's 1040 shows garnered over 55% occupancy.

Hyderabad witnessed an 82% occupancy rate from 316 shows, but Chennai's Tamil version of the film saw only 30% occupancy across 88 shows.

Compared to other releases this year, "Animal" stands as the second-highest opener, surpassing "Pathaan" and following Shah Rukh Khan's "Jawan," which earned Rs 75 crore on its opening day.

However, "Animal" has emerged as the runner-up, collecting Rs 61 crore, overtaking "Pathaan," which previously held the second spot with Rs 57 crore. "Tiger 3" follows in third place with an opening day collection of Rs 44.50 crore.

"Animal" released alongside Vicky Kaushal's "Sam Bahadur," which managed to garner Rs 5.5 crore nett in India.

Despite the dominance of "Animal," the polarizing reception of Ranbir Kapoor's film might work in favor of Vicky Kaushal's offering.

Comparing "Animal" to Sandeep Reddy Vanga's earlier blockbuster "Kabir Singh," which commenced with Rs 20.21 crore, the film eventually amassed over Rs 278 crore during its lifetime in India.

For Ranbir Kapoor, "Sanju" remains his highest-grossing film, earning Rs 342.53 crore and previously holding the record for his biggest opening at Rs 34.75 crore.

However, "Animal" has now claimed that spot, marking a significant milestone in Kapoor's career at the box office.

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