Mufasa: The Lion King, featuring Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan as the voice of the titular character in the Hindi version, has crossed the Rs 125 crore mark at the Indian box office. However, on its 21st day, the film saw a considerable dip in its collections, marking a slowdown in its theatrical run.
According to Sacnilk, the film saw its collections dip below Rs 1 crore for the first time on Thursday, earning an estimated Rs 34 lakh.
Mufasa: The Lion King had a rather average start, but picked up its pace over the holiday week, drawing in families and fans to theatres in large numbers. The Hindi dubbed version, powered by Shah Rukh Khan’s star power and his two sons AbRam and Aryan, reportedly played a significant role in boosting the film’s performance in India. The film earned an estimated Rs 66.15 crore in its first week and followed it up with a collection of Rs 45.9 crore in week 2. The film finished off week 3 at the box office with a collection of Rs 13.64 crore, thus taking its overall box office collection to an estimated Rs 126.29 crore net.Despite its impressive milestone of Rs 125 crore, the film’s box office run has now entered a slower phase, with competition from other major releases such as Ram Charan’s Game Changer and the Hollywood horror film Nosferatu. Trade analysts attribute the dip in collections to the natural course of long theatrical runs and the influx of new releases.
While the current trend suggests a gradual winding down of its theatrical run, Mufasa: The Lion King has solidified its place as a box office success and a family favourite.
The live-action film, a prequel to the 2019 The Lion King, explores the origins of Mufasa. While this film earned just over Rs 125 crore, its original earned a lifetime collection of an estimated Rs 159 crore. It still has a few more days at the ticket windows to try and match up its 2019 record.
With stunning visuals, an emotionally resonant story, and a stellar cast of Indian voice actors dubbing for the Hindi, Tamil and Telugu versions, the film captivated audiences, particularly in its opening weeks.
