Sooryavanshi Box Office Collection: Akshay Kumar in a still from the film. (Image courtesy: YouTube)

New Delhi:

Akshay Kumar’s Sooryavanshi waited for a long time before getting a theatrical release and what a great opening it received this Friday. The film, directed by Rohit Shetty, scored a total of Rs 26.29 crore on its first day and “shattered the box office despite curtailed occupancy of 50% in large parts of the country on day one,” as per the makers. Sooryavanshi was earlier slated to open in theatres on March 27 last year but the makers had postponed the film’s release due to the coronavirus pandemic. The next release date – April 30, 2021 – was also changed after a surge in COVID cases earlier this year.

Bollywood trade analyst Taran Adarsh also shared the first day report of Sooryavanshi on social media and wrote: “#Sooryavanshi ROARS on Day 1… revives business… Records EXCELLENT numbers, despite 50% occupancy in the largest market [#Maharashtra]… Day 2 is SUPER-STRONG… Has potential to grow over the weekend… cinemas and cinegoers are back… Fri Rs 26.29 crore. India business.”

See Taran Adarsh’s tweet here:

#Sooryavanshi ROARS on Day 1… REVIVES biz… Records EXCELLENT numbers, despite 50% occupancy in the largest market [#Maharashtra]… Day 2 is SUPER-STRONG… Has potential to grow over the weekend… CINEMAS AND CINEGOERS ARE BACK… Fri 26.29 cr. #India biz. #Diwalipic.twitter.com/JhZbIxxqAp

— taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) November 6, 2021

Sooryavanshi is the fourth film in Rohit Shetty’s cop universe, in which Akshay plays the lead role of Veer Suryavanshi, a character that was introduced as an Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) officer in a cameo role in Ranveer Singh’s 2018 film Simmba. Sooryavanshi stars Katrina Kaif as Akshay Kumar’s love interest and also features Ajay Devgn, who headlined Rohit Shetty’s cop series Singham, in a special appearance.

Watch the trailer of Sooryavanshi here:

Last year, when team Sooryavanshi postponed the film’s release, they issued a statement, an excerpt from which read: “We have been as excited as you are to present the film to you and your family but due to recent outburst of the COVID-19 (Coronavirus), we, the makers, have decided to postpone the release of your film Sooryavanshi, keeping in mind the health and safety of our beloved audience.” Read the full statement here:

After Sooryavanshi released in theatres after Diwali, Rohit Shetty wrote in an Instagram post: “Last battle won! Sooryavanshi releasing across all multiplexes and single screens all over the country. My audience who have been waiting eagerly, can book their tickets now! Going home for my first meal of the day! And by the way… Happy diwali to the whole Hindi film industry.”