Ajay Devgn has just delivered the kind of opening that changes the entire box-office conversation. Drishyam 3 has opened with almost ₹67 crore on Day 1, giving Devgn the biggest opening of his career and putting the film firmly among Bollywood’s biggest openers.
And that number also highlights a striking difference with Akshay Kumar’s recent theatrical run.
Akshay has remained one of Bollywood’s busiest stars, but his last few releases have struggled to generate the kind of opening-day frenzy that Drishyam 3 has created. According to current box-office data, Housefull 5 opened at ₹24.35 crore, Jolly LLB 3 at ₹12.50 crore, Bhooth Bangla at around ₹11.50 crore and Welcome To The Jungle at ₹14.80 crore. His latest release, Haiwaan, opened at just ₹2.79 crore.
That is the real gap right now.
Akshay’s recent films have not necessarily been disasters. Housefull 5, Bhooth Bangla and Welcome To The Jungle all managed substantial theatrical business, with Bhooth Bangla and Welcome To The Jungle showing that audiences can still turn up for him.
Also read: Drishyam 3 Box Office Collection Day 1
But the opening-day pull has become the bigger question.
One factor is the sheer number of releases. Akshay has continued to appear in multiple films, often across different genres, which can reduce the feeling of an “event” around any one release. Another issue is that several recent projects have leaned heavily on ensemble casts, established franchises or comedy, making the film rather than the star the primary selling point.
Ajay, meanwhile, has found a major advantage in Drishyam. The franchise has built enormous audience loyalty, and the third instalment carries the promise of a conclusion. That combination of franchise value + holiday advantage + strong pre-release anticipation has created a different level of urgency.
This does not mean Akshay’s theatrical pull is finished. Far from it. But Drishyam 3 has made one thing very clear: when the right franchise and character connect with the audience, Ajay Devgn can still deliver a MASSIVE opening.
And right now, almost ₹67 crore on Day 1 says everything.
