'Fast & Furious 9' could end up in Top10 Hollywood grossers list in India

Nathalie Emmanuel and Vin Diesel in 'F9: The Fast Saga'. (Photo: Giles Keyte/Universal Pictures via AP)

For over a year and a half, theatres across India have been longing to see a blockbuster film play on their screens.

Baaghi 3 was the last big grosser before the curtains came down due to the first wave of pandemic. The situation at the box office hasn't quite been rosy even after the reopening late last year (with Roohi being the only exception), or its resurgence a few days back post the release of Bell Bottom and Chehre. Yes, a couple of Punjabi films (Puaada, Chal Mere Putt 2) have brought audiences locally, but that's about it.

This is what makes this Friday's release Fast & Furious 9 (F9) really important for the film industry - on the whole, it's a tent-pole festival film which actually makes for an ideal summer release. Yes, summer is gone and we are still a few weeks away from Christmas. However, a biggie is a biggie. It helps that this film is the ninth installment of a franchise which is hugely popular in India.

Setting the wheels in motion

Typically, Hollywood has been seen as competition for Bollywood films. Yet it's that time of the year (amidst the pandemic) when a film as a whole needs to work, regardless of its country of origin, so that the wheels can be set in motion. After all, even though Bollywood producers may not directly benefit from its release (though distribution and exhibition circles would), indirectly the film's expected success would pave the way for big Hindi films to plan their arrival, if audience footfall is optimal.

Traditionally, the Fast & Furious franchise has done quite well in India. When Furious 7 had arrived in India in 2015, it took a huge opening of Rs12.38 crore. It was also the first 100 Crore Club entry for the franchise in India. Two years down the line, The Fate of the Furious (F8) released. It started Indian box office collections at Rs6.29 crore (due to a Wednesday release) but then picked up pace in the days to follow to close at Rs87.5 crore.

This isn't all. Even the spin-off film Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (2019) ended up making Rs70 crore - though one has to give it to the film for finding the best ever opening (Rs13.15 crore) in this franchise in India.

Now considering the fact that F9 has already found global acceptance - it opened the doors of cinemas all over again, not just in USA but even other countries. The same is expected from its September 3 release in India.

The reviews for the film may be mixed so far, but that's expected in a genre that critics aren't usually kind to. However, the box office has been ringing for F9 across the globe and its release this Friday in India will be a clear indicator of what is audience really thinking.

Was it the right release that they were waiting for? We will know soon.

The good part is that there is a certain connect factor that Indian audiences have found with Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, Michelle Rodriguez starrer. Also, the film is not just releasing in English but also Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada, hence ensuring that language is no bar for F9. It's a different matter, though, that action speaks the loudest in the movie.

Looking at the Top-10 Hollywood action grossers in India, two franchises which have the maximum entries are Avengers and then Fast & Furious. While there are three Avengers films in the list, the latter has two. The release of F9 could make it three for this franchise as well. Will it surpass the lifetime numbers of Mission: Impossible - Fallout (Rs78 crores) and elbow its way in? We will know soon enough.

Top-10 Hollywood action grossers in India

Avengers: End Game - Rs364 crore

Avengers: Infinity War - Rs226 crore

Furious 7 - Rs108 crore

Jurassic World - Rs101 crore

The Fate of the Furious - Rs87.50 crore

Captain Marvel - Rs86 crore

Spider-Man: Far From Home - Rs86 crore

Jurassic World - Fallen Kingdom - Rs85 crore

Avengers: Age of Ultron - Rs80 crore

Mission: Impossible - Fallout - Rs78 crore