Kamal Haasan’s ‘Indian 2’, which hit screens on July 12, has failed to live up to expectations at the box office despite releasing amid much fanfare. The film has also received negative reviews with critics criticising the lacklustre screenplay. The underwhelming response to ‘Indian 2’ has sent shockwaves through the industry and cast a shadow on ‘Indian 3’, the third installment of the franchise. So, will the upcoming sequel find an audience given the fact that the prequel proved to be a massive failure?
Underwhelming Response To Kamal Haasan’s ‘Indian 2’ To Impact Indian 3?
‘Indian 2’, a sequel to the 1996 classic ‘Indian’/’Hindustani’, has failed to match the standards set by the first part. Moreover, its box office performance is not much to write about. The vigilante-thriller, shot on a budget of Rs 250 crore, has raked in Rs 117 crore worldwide so far and failed to impress. The film is unlikely to witness much growth over the weekdays as ‘Good Newz’, starring Vicky Kaushal, is set to open in theatres this Friday.
The negative reviews too are expected to have an unfavourable impact on its performance over the second weekend. The failure of ‘Indian 2’ is expected to dilute the buzz surrounding ‘Indian 3’. However, trade trackers feel that it isn’t game over for the franchise’s third film.
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“The response to Indian 2 might affect Indian 3 if the trailer isn’t extraordinary. The opening will be low but the word of mouth will hold the key,” Ramesh Bala told News X.
Similarly, Sreedhar Pillai feels that ‘Indian 3’ can work only if the content is strong.
“The buzz will be low but it all comes down to the content at the end of the day. There’s also a gap of a few months,” he said.
Sreedhar Pillai further added that the brand value of the ‘Indian’ franchise has gone down because of the lukewarm response to the second film.
About ‘Indian 2’
Directed by S Shankar, ‘Indian 2’ is a vigilante-thriller that centres on an aged freedom fighter who returns to India after several years to eliminate the corrupt. It stars Kamal Haasan as the titular character and is first release after Lokesh Kanagaraj’s ‘Vikram’.
The cast of Indian 2 includes Rakul Preet Singh, Siddharth, Samuthirakani, Gulshan Grover, and the late Vivekh. ‘Indian 3’, slated to open in theatres in 2025, stars Kajal Aggarwal as the leading lady and marks her first collaboration with the ‘Vishwaroopam 2’ star.
‘Indian 2’ is currently playing in theatres worldwide.
