May 1, 2025, turned into a grand day for Indian cinema as five major releases—Raid 2, Retro, HIT 3, Tourist Family, and The Bhootnii—collectively grossed ₹100.80 crore worldwide on their first day. The box office rush, boosted by the Labour Day holiday, reflected a strong turnout across languages and regions, cementing the day as a blockbuster moment for Indian films.
The biggest contributors were HIT 3 and Retro, both opening to impressive figures of ₹35 crore each. Nani’s gritty crime thriller HIT 3 received glowing reviews and strong audience support, making it the most positively received of the lot. Retro, led by Tamil superstar Suriya, matched the numbers but saw mixed feedback due to its unconventional narrative and retro-styled execution.
Ajay Devgn’s Raid 2, the sequel to the 2018 hit, followed closely with ₹27 crore in global collections. Backed by the success of the original and Devgn’s star power, the film started on solid ground despite a divided reception. Meanwhile, Tourist Family, a Tamil-language family drama starring Sasikumar, quietly impressed with ₹3 crore and positive word-of-mouth.
However, not all fared well. Sanjay Dutt’s horror-comedy The Bhootnii struggled, earning only ₹0.80 crore and facing harsh criticism from both audiences and critics. Its weak opening and poor buzz have already cast doubts over its long-term viability at the box office.
As the weekend approaches, much will depend on sustained public interest and word-of-mouth. While HIT 3, Raid 2, and Tourist Family appear to be in the safe zone, Retro and The Bhootnii will need to overcome early challenges to stay afloat. Nonetheless, the ₹100 crore milestone on a single day marks a celebratory moment for the Indian film industry across its diverse cinematic landscapes.