₹20 crore in 2 days: Vijay Sethupathi’s Maharaja rocks Chinese box office. How did it reach there?

Vijay Sethupathi’s action-packed thriller Maharaja is making waves at the Chinese box office, crossing the ₹20 crore gross mark within just two days of release, including its premiere collections. Directed by Nithilan Saminathan, the film is on track for a stellar opening weekend, driven by positive word of mouth and widespread appeal.

The movie debuted with an impressive $633,000 (₹5.4 crore) from premiere screenings, followed by $550,000 (₹4.6 crore) on its opening day. Saturday’s collections surged to $1.1 million (₹9.3 crore), pushing the total two-day haul to $2.3 million (₹19.5 crore), according to Chinese box office platform ENT Group. With pre-sales for Sunday factored in, the film has comfortably crossed ₹20 crore.

Maharaja marks the first Indian film to release in China since the normalization of ties between the two nations. This milestone follows an agreement between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping to resolve the Eastern Ladakh standoff and strengthen bilateral relations.

Maharaja sold over 200,000 tickets on Saturday, taking its total admissions to over 420,000—the highest for any Indian film in China since the COVID-19 pandemic. Occupying nearly 40,000 screens, the film is poised for a record-breaking weekend, with projections suggesting a ₹30 crore-plus opening weekend gross.

The worldwide gross for Maharaja now stands at approximately ₹126 crore, combining its robust domestic performance with its impressive Chinese debut. Analysts predict the film will cross the ₹150 crore mark soon, a significant milestone for Kollywood. If it maintains momentum during weekdays, Maharaja could set new benchmarks for Indian cinema.

Marketed as an action thriller with a surprising emotional depth, Maharaja has struck a chord with audiences globally. The film's record-breaking release across China marks a historic moment for Tamil cinema, with industry insiders speculating that it could surpass ₹1,000 crore if it sustains its box office trajectory.

Maharaja now joins the league of Indian films that have achieved notable success in China. Here's a list of the top-grossing Indian films in the Chinese market:

• Dangal: ¥1299.2M (₹1,200 crore)
• Secret Superstar: ¥747M (₹863 crore)
• AndhaDhun: ¥325M (₹333.62 crore)
• Bajrangi Bhaijaan: ¥285M (₹295.76 crore)
• Hindi Medium: ¥210M (₹219.17 crore)
• Hichki: ¥149M (₹156.66 crore)
• PK: ¥118M (₹128.58 crore)
• Mom: ¥112M (₹122.04 crore)
• Toilet: Ek Prem Katha: ¥94M (₹100.39 crore)
• Baahubali 2: The Conclusion: ¥76M (₹80.56 crore)