In New Delhi, the Friday film market offered three very different pictures. Hayvan, the suspense thriller featuring Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan and directed by Priyadarshan, has arrived in theaters but did not create the first day impact that had been expected. Mirzapur The Movie is continuing to build its earnings, while Hanuman Ansh remains strong at the box office even after 36 days. The contrast matters because the films are at different stages of their theatrical runs.
Hayvan's first day figures point to a soft start
Sacnilk's figures place Hayvan's first day collection in India at Rs 3 crore. The film played in 7,224 shows across the country, with overall occupancy at just 11%. Attendance improved slightly in the afternoon and evening shows, reaching around 12%, but the gain was limited. Even with that many shows, the seating response was slow, so the opening day was difficult for the film. The gap between the number of shows and occupancy is the main reason the start looks soft.
The Rs 130 crore budget behind Hayvan
Hayvan was made on a total budget of approximately Rs 130 crore. About Rs 115 crore went into production, while Rs 15 crore was set aside for prints and publicity. A large part of the production budget was used to pay the lead cast and crew. The two stated budget heads account for the approximate total, which makes the film's cost structure an important part of its box office story. That allocation also means the opening total cannot be read in isolation.
How the opening compares with earlier films
Box Office India's figures place Hayvan among the weaker opening films in the careers of Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan. Akshay Kumar's Bhool Bhulaiyaa, released in 2007, earned Rs 3.88 crore on its first day. Saif Ali Khan's Ta Ra Rum Pum collected Rs 3.66 crore on its opening day. Hayvan's Rs 3 crore start is below both totals. The weekend is now the key test for whether word of mouth can improve the film's momentum.
Mirzapur The Movie's 8th day
Mirzapur The Movie has been receiving a strong response from audiences. Positive reviews and continued heavy earnings have kept the film firmly in theaters. On the second Friday, which was the 8th day, Sacnilk's latest figures showed a collection of around Rs 9 crore in India. The domestic box office total then reached Rs 157.45 crore. Its second Friday result therefore gives more context than a one-day launch figure.
The film has also been released in Telugu, although its strongest presence is in the Hindi belt. That performance has put Mirzapur The Movie into the list of the highest earning Hindi films of 2026. It has overtaken the lifetime collection of Awaraapan 2, which was Rs 150.43 crore. The gap between the two totals shows that Mirzapur The Movie has kept adding to its earnings beyond the opening period.
Hanuman Ansh keeps going after 36 days
Hanuman Ansh, based on the life of Neem Karoli Baba, is still holding a strong place in theaters after 36 days. Sacnilk's figures place its sixth Friday collection at around Rs 10.50 crore, taking the total domestic collection to Rs 173.63 crore. That late run earning shows the film has maintained its pull over a long period.
For fans, the important point is that the story is not ending here. Producer Namrata Singh has said that Hanuman Ansh is planned as a story in three parts and that the plan was fixed in advance. Vishal Chaturvedi directed the film. In an interview, Chaturvedi disclosed that the film cost only Rs 2 crore to make. With a cost of Rs 2 crore and a domestic total of Rs 173.63 crore, Hanuman Ansh has become the most profitable film of 2026.
