Maalik Box Office BMS Pre-Sales: Rajkummar Rao’s Rowdy Avatar Registers 4th Lowest Ticket Sales!

Mumbai:

Rajkummar Rao’s gritty new thriller Maalik has officially hit theatres today, but its advance booking numbers suggest a slow start. Despite the buzz around Rao’s rugged makeover and the action-packed trailer, early figures indicate that the film may need strong walk-ins and word-of-mouth to pick up steam.

Pre-Sales: One of 2025’s Weakest Starts

According to BookMyShow data, Maalik sold around 16,680 tickets in advance bookings across national multiplex chains, placing it at 4th lowest among Bollywood releases in 2025 so far. This figure falls far below expectations, especially considering Rao’s rising box office credibility following the success of Bhool Chuk Maaf earlier this year.

🔥 #Maalik rocks 3335+ shows but gets just 9.4% #buiness from advance booking #BoxOffice buzz. #Politics meets screen but misses the mark. Big cast, bigger disaster!? #CinemaUpdate #bollywoodnews pic.twitter.com/o7w11I7vSd

— Karthik (@datadonkey_) July 11, 2025

Comparisons & Industry Context

For perspective, Bhool Chuk Maaf had secured over 30,000 advance tickets, and other mid-tier performers like Ulta Pulta and Vikram Vedha 2.0 also managed better pre-release momentum.
Maalik is competing with international juggernauts like Superman: Legacy and franchise-heavy Jurassic World: Rebirth, both of which are dominating multiplex screens across India.

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Day 1 Expectations: Aiming for Redemption

Trade analysts now project an opening day collection in the range of Rs.1.5–2.5 crore. While this would mark a significant drop from Rao’s previous opening (Rs. 7 crore for Bhool Chuk Maaf), the film still has potential to find its footing over the weekend.

A lot hinges on the film’s critical reception and audience feedback, particularly for its intense tone, hard-hitting storyline, and action sequences. Rao’s performance is already being touted as one of his most raw and physically demanding roles yet.

What Went Wrong With Advance Buzz?

Several factors may have contributed to the lukewarm ticket sales:

1. Limited marketing push: Promotions were relatively muted compared to other mid-budget releases.
2. Competing releases: Maalik shares its opening weekend with visually grander and globally marketed films.
3. Genre fatigue: The gritty action-drama genre may be losing edge amid a wave of lighter, more vibrant releases dominating the OTT space.

Can Word-of-Mouth Turn the Tide?

While Maalik hasn’t cracked the pre-sales chart, strong walk-in numbers and positive post-release chatter could boost its performance over the weekend. In past cases like Stree and Badhaai Do, Rao-led films have started slow but gained momentum through strong audience connect.

Box Office Snapshot

Maalik enters theatres today with modest momentum, but the road to box office recovery isn’t closed. With Rajkummar Rao at the helm, known for defying odds with performance-driven hits, the real test begins now. If Maalik can strike a chord with audiences, a turnaround isn’t out of reach.