By Team INVC | INVC NEWS
MUMBAI, India | September 20, 2026 —
The India Box Office Today battle has turned fascinating ahead of Sunday, with an old blockbuster refusing to slow down, a third-week release finding fresh weekend strength and new films fighting hard for audience attention.
The biggest surprise once again comes from Hanuman Ansh. Even in its seventh weekend, the film delivered a powerful Saturday jump and stayed ahead of several much newer releases.
Meanwhile, Mirzapur: The Movie returned to growth, Resident Evil improved on its opening day, and VIBE recorded an encouraging Saturday rise. However, Daayra continues to face a difficult theatrical start.
Here is how the Indian box office stood after Saturday, September 19.
Hanuman Ansh Refuses to Slow Down
Hanuman Ansh continues to produce one of the most unusual box-office runs of the year.
The film collected an estimated ₹9.75 crore net in India on Day 44, marking roughly a 95% jump over Friday’s ₹5 crore.
Its estimated India net collection has now reached around ₹258.13 crore, while its India gross stands near ₹304.80 crore after 44 days.
Even more remarkably, the film’s worldwide gross has moved to approximately ₹329.30 crore.
For a movie already deep into its theatrical run, that kind of Saturday jump gives the film another strong chance to benefit from Sunday footfalls.
Mirzapur: The Movie Gets Its Weekend Boost
Mirzapur: The Movie also found fresh momentum on its third Saturday.
The Pankaj Tripathi and Ali Fazal-starrer earned approximately ₹4.50 crore net on Day 16, up around 63.6% from Friday.
That takes its estimated India net total to about ₹210.70 crore.
The film’s India gross has reached roughly ₹250.94 crore, while its worldwide gross is estimated at around ₹302.19 crore.
The Saturday jump suggests that the theatrical adaptation still has enough audience pull to remain relevant despite newer releases arriving in cinemas.
VIBE Finds Much-Needed Saturday Growth
Kunal Kemmu’s VIBE showed a healthier trend on its second day.
After opening at approximately ₹1.70 crore net, the film climbed to around ₹2.65 crore net on Saturday, according to early box-office estimates.
That represents growth of roughly 55.9%, taking its two-day India net total to approximately ₹4.35 crore.
Saturday occupancy also improved, particularly during evening and night shows.
The bigger question now is whether VIBE can convert that Saturday improvement into a stronger Sunday.
For a new release, the first weekend often determines how many screens and shows it retains during the working week.
Resident Evil Improves on Day 2
Hollywood horror release Resident Evil also recorded growth in India.
The film collected an estimated ₹3.20 crore net on Saturday, compared with approximately ₹2.60 crore on Friday.
Its two-day India net total consequently reached roughly ₹5.80 crore.
English-language shows remained its strongest segment, although dubbed Hindi, Tamil and Telugu versions also contributed to the total.
Resident Evil now enters Sunday with an opportunity to push its opening weekend higher through evening and late-night audiences.
Daayra Grows, But the Start Remains Weak
Despite improvement on Saturday, Daayra remains under pressure.
The Kareena Kapoor Khan and Prithviraj Sukumaran-starrer collected approximately ₹1.35 crore on Saturday, following an opening day of around ₹0.94 crore.
Its two-day total stands near ₹2.29 crore.
The Saturday growth is encouraging in percentage terms. However, the absolute collection remains modest for a major Hindi theatrical release featuring established stars.
Sunday now becomes particularly important for Daayra.
A stronger jump could give the film some breathing room. A muted Sunday, on the other hand, would leave it dependent on unusually strong weekday stability.
Mandaadi Continues Strong South India Run
Tamil film Mandaadi also delivered an impressive Saturday.
The Soori-starrer earned approximately ₹6.55 crore net in India on Day 10, registering a substantial weekend jump.
Its performance demonstrates that the current Indian box office is not being driven by Hindi releases alone.
Regional films continue to command significant theatrical audiences when strong word of mouth and local demand come together.
Haiwaan Loses Momentum
The situation looks far more difficult for Haiwaan.
The Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan-starrer had collected only about ₹9.86 crore net in India through its eighth day, according to available tracking estimates.
Its first week produced approximately ₹9.85 crore net, but collections then fell sharply as newer films took screens and audience attention.
That leaves Haiwaan with one of the weakest trends among the prominent Hindi releases currently in cinemas.
Saturday Box Office Snapshot
Hanuman Ansh: ₹9.75 crore net — Day 44
Mandaadi: ₹6.55 crore net — Day 10
Mirzapur: The Movie: ₹4.50 crore net — Day 16
Resident Evil: ₹3.20 crore net — Day 2
VIBE: ₹2.65 crore net — Day 2
Daayra: ₹1.35 crore — Day 2
The numbers show just how unusual this weekend has become.
A film running for more than six weeks is still earning more on Saturday than major fresh theatrical releases.
Hanuman Ansh Becomes the Weekend Story Again
The biggest takeaway is no longer simply that Hanuman Ansh became successful.
The real story is its longevity.
Movies normally lose screens, show timings and audience momentum as newer releases arrive. Hanuman Ansh has repeatedly reversed that pattern by registering sharp weekend growth even late in its run.
Its Day 44 performance means VIBE, Daayra and Resident Evil are not merely competing with one another.
They are also competing against an established film that continues to attract repeat and fresh audiences.
Mirzapur Crosses Another Major Milestone
Mirzapur: The Movie has also built a sizeable theatrical total.
Crossing approximately ₹210 crore net in India and ₹300 crore worldwide places the film among the significant theatrical performers of the season.
Its third-weekend jump suggests that franchise familiarity continues to help the film, particularly during weekends.
Sunday Could Change the Order Again
Sunday, September 20, now becomes the decisive day for the newer releases.
VIBE needs another substantial rise.
Resident Evil will look to benefit from horror audiences and weekend night shows.
Daayra requires a much stronger acceleration.
Mirzapur: The Movie will attempt to extend its third-weekend recovery.
And Hanuman Ansh will try to prove yet again that its extraordinary theatrical run still has momentum left.
One thing is already clear: India’s box office race this weekend is not following the usual new-release script.
A 44-day-old film is still sitting at the centre of the conversation.
Box-office figures are estimates compiled by industry trackers and can differ from final producer or distributor figures.
