Prabhas’ “Salaar” Surpasses Shah Rukh Khan’s “Pathaan” with Impressive Opening in Japan

Prabhas-starrer “Salaar” has achieved a significant milestone in Japan, becoming the third-biggest opening for an Indian film in the country after SS Rajamouli’s “RRR” (2022) and Prabhas’ own “Saaho” (2019). Directed by Prashanth Neel, the film debuted in Japan on July 5, following its initial release in December last year, leveraging Prabhas’ extensive fanbase in the region.

According to Sacnilk, “Salaar” grossed JPY 18.2 million (approximately Rs 95 lakh) in its opening weekend across nearly 200 screens. This surpasses the opening weekend collection of Shah Rukh Khan’s “Pathaan” (2023), which earned JPY 14.6 million, securing “Salaar” the third position for an Indian film debut in Japan.

Currently, “Salaar” continues to perform well, accumulating a total of JPY 23 million at the Japanese box office, with an additional JPY 5 million earned on Monday and Tuesday. SS Rajamouli’s “RRR” remains the highest opener for an Indian film in Japan, grossing JPY 44 million, followed by Prabhas’ “Saaho” with JPY 23 million.

Produced by Hombale Films, “Salaar” featured Prabhas, Prithviraj Sukumaran, and Shruti Haasan in pivotal roles. The action-packed film achieved a worldwide box office collection exceeding Rs 700 crore post its release on December 22, 2023, making it one of the highest-grossing Indian films of the year and the third-highest for Prabhas at that time.

The success of “Salaar” has prompted the announcement of a sequel titled “Salaar 2: Shouryanga Parvam”. While initial plans indicated filming to commence in the first half of 2024, updates on the sequel’s progress have yet to surface.