Rajinikanth-starrer Jailer 2 is all set to arrive in cinemas tomorrow, October 15, and the excitement surrounding the film is enormous. The frenzy can be attributed to Rajinikanth’s unparalleled stardom, the phenomenal popularity of the first instalment and the mass-appealing genre of the franchise. In this article, Bollywood Hungama takes a closer look at the film’s extraordinary advance booking trends.
As of 3:45 pm on October 14, Jailer 2 had sold a mind-boggling 14.15 lakh tickets for its opening day alone. The phenomenal response has put the film on course for a massive opening of more than Rs. 30 crores, making it one of the biggest openers of the year. Meanwhile, the total advance ticket sales for the opening weekend stand at approximately 18-19 lakhs. These figures indicate that Jailer 2 is poised for a healthy weekend at the box office. While its performance on weekdays will depend on audience word of mouth, the film has undoubtedly laid the foundation for a terrific theatrical run.
Interestingly, the Hindi version of Jailer 2, titled Rajini: The Jailer 2, has also sprung a pleasant surprise. It has sold 39,485 tickets for Thursday, October 15, an impressive achievement for two reasons. Firstly, the film is releasing on a non-holiday Thursday, and yet, the advance booking response has been encouraging. Secondly, the Hindi version has not secured a release in the national multiplex chains, namely PVR INOX, Cinepolis and Miraj, reportedly due to its planned OTT premiere just four weeks after its theatrical release.
As a result, Rajini: The Jailer 2 will release on a comparatively limited number of screens and with a lower average ticket price (ATP). Despite these limitations, the advance booking response is praiseworthy and underlines Rajinikanth’s popularity among Hindi-speaking audiences.
The Hindi version of the first Jailer (2023) had failed to make much of a mark theatrically, partly due to its clash with Gadar 2 and OMG 2. Moreover, it, too, had missed out on a release in the national multiplex chains. However, the film subsequently found a wide audience through satellite television and OTT platforms. This factor appears to have translated into significantly stronger interest in the sequel.
Rajinikanth’s last release, Coolie (2025), had opened at Rs. 4.50 crores in Hindi, though it secured a release in the national chains. Given the encouraging advance booking of Rajini: The Jailer 2, it remains to be seen whether the sequel can come close to, or even match, the Hindi opening-day collections of Coolie, despite operating with a significant disadvantage in terms of screen count and ticket pricing.
Nevertheless, the advance booking numbers have made one thing clear: Even at the age of 75, Rajinikanth continues to be one of the greatest superstars Indian cinema has ever seen. His unparalleled stardom and appeal transcend generations, languages and geographical boundaries. The excitement surrounding Jailer 2, even in markets where its theatrical reach is restricted, is yet another testament to the extraordinary craze for the legendary superstar.
