The much-anticipated biopic Michael, starring Jaafar Jackson as the King of Pop Michael Jackson, opened to a steady start at the Indian box office, collecting an estimated Rs 5.50 crore on its first day.
According to trade estimates cited by Sacnilk, the film earned around Rs 3.80 crore on Friday across more than 3,000 shows, with an additional Rs 1.70 crore coming from paid preview screenings held a day earlier. The combined figures place its Day 1 total at approximately Rs 5.50 crore net in India.
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Close competition with Bollywood releases
The film’s opening places it in close competition with recent Hindi releases. It narrowly missed surpassing the second-Friday earnings of Bhooth Bangla, starring Akshay Kumar, which collected Rs 5.75 crore on the same day—just Rs 25 lakh more than Michael.
Meanwhile, Dhurandhar 2, led by Ranveer Singh, continued its run into the sixth weekend with an estimated Rs 1.60 crore collection on Friday, trailing behind the new release.
Fan response boosts early numbers
Directed by Antoine Fuqua, Michael traces the journey of the legendary performer from his early years to global superstardom. Mounted on a reported budget of USD 200 million, the film has received mixed critical reviews but appears to be drawing strong audience interest, particularly among fans of the late singer.
“It’s beautiful to see all these people here to support Michael Jackson and the movie,” Fuqua told AFP, reflecting on the audience turnout.
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Global outlook remains strong
Beyond India, the film is expected to make a significant impact worldwide. Trade projections suggest a global opening of around USD 150 million, including an estimated USD 65–70 million from North America and USD 75–80 million from international markets.
If these numbers hold, Michael could emerge as one of the biggest global openers of 2026 and rank among the top-performing musical biopics in recent years.
Disclaimer: Box office figures are based on estimates from public and trade sources and may be subject to revision.
