‘Michael’ Box Office Day 1: Jaafar Jackson Debuts Strong with ₹5.50 Crore in India, Challenges ‘Dhurandar 2’ and ‘Bhooth Bangla’

The much-awaited Hollywood biopic Michael, based on the life of pop legend Michael Jackson and starring Jaafar Jackson in the lead role, has opened to a solid start at the Indian box office.

On its opening day, the film collected an estimated ₹5.50 crore net in India, marking a strong debut for a Hollywood musical biopic in the market.

Day 1 Collection Breakdown

According to early box office estimates:

• ₹3.80 crore came from regular theatrical shows across 3,029 screenings
• ₹1.70 crore was added from paid preview shows held a day earlier

This takes the total Day 1 India collection to approximately ₹5.50 crore net.

Competition at the Box Office

‘Michael’ faced tough competition from Indian releases:

• It narrowly missed beating Bhooth Bangla, which earned around ₹5.75 crore, falling short by just ₹25 lakh
• It also outperformed Dhurandhar 2, which collected around ₹1.60 crore on the same day during its extended run

Film Overview

Directed by Antoine Fuqua, Michael portrays the rise of Michael Jackson from a child prodigy to a global pop icon. The film has been made on a reported budget of around $200 million and released nearly 16 years after the singer’s passing.

Despite receiving mixed critical reviews (around 27% on early ratings), the film has seen strong audience interest, especially among fans of the pop legend.

Global Box Office Outlook

Internationally, the film is targeting a global opening of around $150 million, with strong contributions expected from:

• North America: $65–70 million
• Overseas markets (82 territories): $75–80 million

With this performance, Michael is expected to rank among the biggest global openings for a musical biographical film in 2026.

Conclusion

Even with mixed reviews, Michael has managed a strong commercial start in India and worldwide, proving the continued global appeal of Michael Jackson’s legacy.