The Indian box office witnessed a mixed weekend, with a few blockbusters continuing to dominate while others faltered. Among the top performers, ‘Saiyaara’ made an impressive comeback, reaffirming its stronghold on the audience. Meanwhile, films like ‘Hari Har Veer Mallu’, ‘Fantastic 4: First Steps’, and ‘Mahavatara Narasimha’ experienced varying degrees of success. Below is a comprehensive breakdown of how each film fared on Saturday across India.
‘Saiyaara’ Box Office Collection: The Blockbuster Reign Continues
Ahan Pandey and Anit Padda’s romantic drama ‘Saiyaara’, released on July 18, has been a major draw for cinegoers. The film stormed into theaters with a massive ₹21.5 crore opening day, capturing the attention of youth and families alike. Over the first week, the film accumulated a staggering ₹172.75 crore, propelled by strong word-of-mouth, repeat viewership, and extensive youth appeal.
On its second Friday, the film pulled in an impressive ₹18 crore, setting the stage for a weekend surge. Saturday saw a sharp rise, collecting ₹26.5 crore, taking its total box office earnings to ₹217.26 crore.
The consistent upward trend suggests that ‘Saiyaara’ is on track to cross the ₹250 crore mark in the coming days, putting it among the highest-grossing Hindi films of 2025.
‘Hari Har Veer Mallu’ Stumbles After Strong Start
South superstar Pawan Kalyan‘s highly anticipated film ‘Hari Har Veer Mallu’ had a dream start, grossing ₹34.75 crore on its first day. However, this grand opening proved unsustainable. The film experienced a steep decline on Day 2, earning only ₹8 crore.
Saturday brought a slight recovery, with ₹9.25 crore in box office collections. However, the film’s momentum has clearly slowed. Despite the decline, it did collect ₹12.75 crore in paid previews before its official release, cushioning the overall performance.
As of now, ‘Hari Har Veer Mallu’ has grossed ₹64.75 crore in total. While respectable, this figure falls short of expectations given the scale of the project and the fanbase of Pawan Kalyan. Unless the film picks up momentum on Sunday and in the coming weekdays, its chances of touching the ₹100 crore milestone appear slim.
‘Fantastic 4: First Steps’ Earns Mixed Response in India
Marvel Studios’ ‘Fantastic 4: First Steps’, which released in India on July 25, marked yet another attempt to reboot the beloved franchise. However, initial numbers suggest that the film is struggling to make a dent in the Indian market.
The film opened with a modest ₹5.5 crore on Friday, which is considerably low for a Marvel property. Saturday saw a slight boost, earning ₹7 crore, bringing the total to ₹12.5 crore in two days.
Despite the Marvel branding, Indian audiences have given the film mixed reviews, criticizing its pacing and lack of novelty. If the trend continues, the film could end up with a tepid lifetime total in India, significantly below Marvel’s previous box office outings in the region.
‘Mahavatara Narasimha’: Niche but Steady Growth for Mythological Animation
Released by Hombale Films on July 25, ‘Mahavatara Narasimha’ is a mythological animated film that aims to connect with both children and adults through Hindu epics and spiritual themes.
The film started with a modest ₹2.1 crore on its opening day, but experienced a significant uptick on Saturday, collecting ₹5.25 crore, thanks to strong performance in southern cities and among family audiences.
Its total stands at ₹7.26 crore, and while the numbers may seem small in comparison to mainstream commercial hits, the film is gaining traction in devotional and spiritual circles. Its performance is expected to hold well in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities throughout the week, particularly if the word-of-mouth continues to improve.
Comparative Box Office Performance: Saturday’s Rankings
| Film Title | Saturday Collection (₹ Cr) | Total Collection (₹ Cr) |
|---|---|---|
| Saiyaara | 26.5 | 217.26 |
| Hari Har Veer Mallu | 9.25 | 64.75 |
| Fantastic 4: First Steps | 7.0 | 12.5 |
| Mahavatara Narasimha | 5.25 | 7.26 |
Weekend Trends and Audience Preferences
The trends observed this weekend highlight a few key takeaways:
Hindi cinema continues to thrive when powered by fresh faces, gripping narratives, and youthful appeal—as proven by ‘Saiyaara’.
Despite a massive initial push, South Indian films may face setbacks if content doesn’t resonate beyond fan bases.
Hollywood blockbusters, even with global appeal, cannot afford to overlook localization and storytelling depth, as evidenced by the lukewarm response to ‘Fantastic 4’.
Animated and mythological genres, though niche, are gradually finding solid footing thanks to family and religious audiences.
Predicted Sunday Surge: What’s Next at the Box Office?
All eyes are now on the Sunday collections, which typically show a significant spike. Industry analysts predict the following:
‘Saiyaara’ is expected to add another ₹28–30 crore, possibly crossing the ₹245 crore milestone by Sunday night.
‘Hari Har Veer Mallu’ may struggle to cross ₹10 crore on Sunday, unless a turnaround in word-of-mouth takes place.
‘Fantastic 4’ may remain steady at around ₹7.5–8 crore, relying heavily on urban multiplex audiences.
‘Mahavatara Narasimha’ is projected to add another ₹6–7 crore, inching closer to the ₹15 crore mark by early next week.
Conclusion: ‘Saiyaara’ Remains the Crown Jewel of the Weekend
With a solid screenplay, fresh casting, and strong emotional depth, ‘Saiyaara’ has proven itself to be the undisputed leader of the box office this weekend. In contrast, big-budget ventures and international blockbusters have not managed to captivate Indian audiences in the same way.
As we move into the next week, the performance of these films on Monday and Tuesday will determine whether they hold steady or collapse under weekday pressure. Until then, ‘Saiyaara’ stands tall as the box office champion, with others scrambling to find momentum in its shadow.
