After a two-year hiatus from leading roles, Emraan Hashmi’s return to the big screen with Ground Zero has failed to strike a chord with audiences, concluding its global theatrical run on an underwhelming note. The war drama, released on April 25, 2025, has grossed just Rs 9.25 crore worldwide, marking it as a clear box office disappointment.
Produced by Excel Entertainment and directed by Tejas Prabha Vijay Deoskar, Ground Zero also stars Sai Tamhankar and Zoya Hussain. Despite being backed by a reputed production house and inspired by real-life military events, the film struggled to generate buzz. It opened to negative to mixed reviews, both from critics and general audiences, leading to low footfalls across theatres.
In India, the film managed to collect Rs 7.50 crore net, with a gross of Rs 9.05 crore, while its international performance was negligible, contributing only Rs 20 lakh to the total. The trade had modest expectations from overseas markets, but even the domestic response failed to meet minimal projections.
The film’s poor showing adds to Emraan Hashmi’s string of underperforming theatrical releases, following his role as the antagonist in the 2023 blockbuster Tiger 3. While Ground Zero was anticipated as a potential comeback, the tepid response may delay a true resurgence for the actor.
Looking ahead, Hashmi is set to return with Awarapan 2 in 2026, a sequel to one of his cult hits. Additionally, he will appear in two major Telugu productions—They Call Him OG and G2, the sequel to the hit spy thriller Goodachari. Fans and industry watchers now hope these upcoming projects will restore his standing at the box office.