Aug 14, 2026 4:21pm IST
Box Office Morning Occupancy Report: ‘Awarapan 2’ Takes the Lead Over ‘Batwara 1947’; ‘Vishwanath and Sons’ Dominates South
Three Indian releases - “Awarapan 2,” “Batwara 1947” and “Vishwanath and Sons” - clashed at the cinemas this week. Among Hindi movies, Emraan Hashmi’s “Awarapan 2,” a sequel to the 2007 film, led the morning shows by a wide margin over Sunny Deol’s partition drama “Batwara 1947.” On the other hand, Suriya’s family drama “Vishwanath and Sons” dominated the South Indian market due to his fanbase and family-friendly content.
Trade analyst Taran Adarsh shares that “Batwara 1947” opened to a low response, while “Awarapan 2” has emerged as a first choice for cinegoers. “The occupancy was around 50-60% for ‘Awarapan 2’ morning shows and very weak with 5-7% for ‘Batwara 1947’,” he says.
Reflecting on the reason for such low occupancy, he adds, “There was no buzz (around ‘Batwara 1947’). On the other hand, there has been tremendous anticipation around ‘Awarapan 2’ since the time it was announced. While the first part didn’t work at the box office, it developed a strong fan base and became a cult classic over the years. People have loved the music. I think it’s the overall package, with Emraan Hashmi returning as Shivam Pandit. These factors have led to a huge opening for the film.”
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Ramesh Bala, the industry tracker from Chennai, reveals that the South Indian market is dominated by Suriya’s “Vishwanath and Sons.” “The Sunny Deol film had an occupancy of 15%, while ‘Awarapan 2’ opened to 40% across India. Suriya’s ‘Vishwanath and Sons’ registered a huge occupancy of 70% in the South Indian market.”
Looking at the current scenario, “Awarapan 2” might give Emraan Hashmi his biggest solo opener. On the other hand, Sunny Deol’s film will earn around ₹5-₹7 crore. “Vishwanath and Sons” is expected to have a minimum double-digit opening at the ticket windows.
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