Baahubali 2: The Conclusion finishes month-long China run with $11.9 mn box office collection

SS Rajamouli's money-spinning blockbuster Baahubali 2: The Conclusion, which became the fourth Indian film to hit the Chinese screens on 4 May, has finished its month-long theatrical run on 2 June in the mainland with a cumulative total of $11.9 million (Rs 80 crore).

Prabhas in a still from Baahubali 2: The Conclusion. Twitter

Although the numbers are disappointing compared to the previous three Indian releases — Aamir Khan's Secret Superstar ($118 million; Rs 760 rore), Salman Khan's Bajrangi Bhaijaan ($45.4 million; Rs 294 crore) and Irrfan Khan-starrer Hindi Medium ($31 million; Rs 221 crore) — in China this year, it is a considerable leap for South Indian cinema since Baahubali 2: The Conclusion is the only second film from the region to hit the mainland screens. Also taking into account that the first part, Baahubali: The Beginning raked in only a paltry lifetime total of $1.19 million and bombed at the PRC box office without any trace, the numbers achieved by Baahubali 2: The Conclusion offers some solace as the mainland market has gradually started welcoming Indian movies with renewed interest.

While the other three Indian films dealt with various relatable themes such as women empowerment, domestic abuse, national integrity, cross-border emotions, education system and linguistic barriers, Baahubali 2: The Conclusion belonged to the war, fantasy and action genres, which the Chinese audiences are quite accustomed to, thanks to the continuous inflow of Hollywood imports.

The 31-day China total of Baahubali 2: The Conclusion at $11.9 million (Rs 80 crore) has now pushed the film's worldwide gross to Rs 1,790 crore. While the Arka Media Works production pulled in nearly Rs 75 crore from the first 10 days in the Middle Kingdom, it witnessed a steep decline at the box office from the second weekend.

In fact, the film, which stars Prabhas, Rana Daggubati and Anushka Shetty as leads, registered the fourth biggest opening day in the Middle Kingdom with a reasonable $2.43 million day one gross, only behind Aamir Khan's Dangal ($2.55 million), Secret Superstar ($6.97 million) and Irrfan Khan-starrer Hindi Medium ($3.43 million). The film also surged past the Rs 50 crore mark with an opening weekend gross of $7.63 million (Rs 51.21 crore).

During the last 20 days, the film has approximately earned only Rs 5 crore and was utterly dominated by homegrown hits such as Us and Them, How Long Will I Love You, A or B and smash Hollywood box office hits such as Disney/Marvel's Avengers: Infinity War and John Krasinki's A Quiet Place.  

Now, the cumulative foreign takings of Baahubali 2: The Conclusion stands a whopping $62 million, making China the second highest earning overseas territory for the film, only behind the USA's mighty $20.1 million. Baahubali 2 failed to dethrone Bajrangi Bhaijaan's $74.3 million (Rs 483.2 crore) foreign box office receipts and remains as the fourth highest earning Indian film in overseas markets. Dangal and Secret Superstar continue their unparalleled spots at number one and two in the list of top\ grossing Indian films offshores.

Before the China release, Baahubali 2: The Conclusion needed nearly $37 million to take over the mantle from Dangal as the highest earning Indian film globally and $43 million to become the first Indian film to touch the Rs 2000 crore mark. Since the magnum opus has settled for a middling lifetime total of $11.9 million in the Middle Kingdom, Dangal, with its global earnings of nearly Rs 1,962 crore, including the $800,000 theatrical revenue from South Korea, continues its yet-unrivaled milestone as the highest grossing Indian movie of all time.

Firstpost has also exclusively learnt that despite posting an unremarkable total of $11.9 million, the Chinese distributors of Baahubali 2: The Conclusion entered the profit zone in just first five days of release.

All eyes are now set on Akshay Kumar-starrer satirical comedy-drama Toilet: Ek Prem Katha, which is gearing up for its China release on 8 June. Directed by Shree Narayan Singh, the film has been titled Toilet Hero in the mainland and is the fifth Indian film to burst onto PRC screens this year after Secret Superstar, Bajrangi Bhaijaan, Hindi Medium and Baahubali 2: The Conclusion.