Maa Box Office Collection Day 1: Kajol's horror film makes Rs 4.50 crore debut; faces stiff ccompetition from Vishnu Manchu's 'Kannappa' and Brad Pitt's 'F1'

Kajol's long-awaited return to the big screen with the horror drama Maa has seen a respectable start at the Indian box office. The film which faced some stiff competition at the ticket windows, managed to earn an estimated Rs 4.50 crore nett collection on its opening day.

Directed by Vishal Furia, the supernatural thriller has managed to make its mark despite facing intense competition from two high-profile releases — the Vishnu Manchu starrer Kannappa and Brad Pitt’s racing drama F1.Released on June 27, Maa marked Kajol’s comeback after a three-year hiatus and generated steady buzz among fans of both horror and emotional dramas. With a UA 16+ rating and a runtime of 2 hours and 15 minutes, the film combines Indian mythology and psychological horror, following a mother-daughter road trip that spirals into a chilling confrontation with a cursed legend.The film saw a slow start to its collections, recording just around 8.23% occupancy for its morning shows and saw its numbers rise to 32.61% for its night shows. With a collection of Rs 4.50 crore, Maa placed third in Friday's box office battle, coming in behind F1, which earned an estimated Rs 5 crore nett and Kannappa, which emerged on top with a total Rs 9 crore collection. While the opening figures may not be front-loaded in comparison to big-budget tentpoles, trade experts consider the haul a decent start given the film’s mid-range scale and genre-specific appeal.

Maa, entering a crowded box office window could have also played a role in diminishing its box office collections. Despite the competition, Kajol’s emotional performance and the film has been praised. Added support from Ajay Devgn, including a limited-time “Buy 2 Get 1 Free” ticket offer, has also helped drive ticket sales, particularly in urban centres.Maa still has room to grow over the weekend, especially if positive reviews continue to build.