Prahaar box office Day 1: Rajkummar Rao’s film trails Nayyi Naveli despite 2,000 fewer shows

On the opening day of its theatrical run, Rajkummar Rao's latest film, Prahaar: The Untold Story of Ujjwal Nikam, has underperformed at the box office. The movie, which stars Rao in the role of public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam, collected a modest Rs 3.52 crore globally on its debut day. According to industry data source Sacnilk, Prahaar took in Rs 2.35 crore domestically, with an Indian gross of Rs 2.77 crore.

The film premiered in 4,133 theaters, attracting around 1 lakh viewers, and boasted a 13% occupancy rate. Its worldwide earnings also include Rs 75 lakh from overseas territories.

However, Prahaar's opening is being overshadowed by the release of two other films, Nayyi Naveli and Drishyam 3, among others. Nayyi Naveli, starring Yami Gautam, reportedly opened with a strong Rs 4.58 crore worldwide. The film had significantly more showings than Prahaar, with 6,281 Indian screenings – a difference of over 2,000 shows. Similarly, Drishyam 3 and Rajinikanth's Jailer 2 are competing with Prahaar for audience attention.

This opening day performance follows Rajkummar Rao's previous films, which have generally failed to replicate the box office success of his breakout hit Stree 2. In 2024, Rao appeared in multiple releases, including Srikanth, Mr & Mrs Mahi, Stree 2, and Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video. While Mr & Mrs Mahi grossed Rs 51.95 crore worldwide against a budget of Rs 50 crore, Srikanth managed to earn Rs 60.59 crore globally despite a lower opening day.

Rao's most recent film, Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video, collected approximately Rs 58 crore against a reported budget of Rs 30 crore.

Prahaar marks Rao's second collaboration with co-star Wamiqa Gabbi, following their work on the 2025 film Bhool Chuk Maaf. Produced on a reported budget of Rs 50 crore, Bhool Chuk Maaf earned Rs 89 crore globally. Prahaar, however, has struggled to gain traction, receiving mixed reviews and failing to generate significant buzz. As the film begins its weekend run, there remains uncertainty as to whether it can mount a comeback and improve its box office performance.