'Joker: Folie a Deux' box office: Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga starrer makes Rs 5 crore India debut; BEATS 'Joker' Day 1 collection

'Joker: Folie à Deux', directed by Todd Phillips, opened to an impressive reception in India, raking in a substantial Rs 5 crore on its first day of release.
Starring Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga, the film made its mark on the Indian box office, becoming one of the highest-earning films on Wednesday, which coincided with the Gandhi Jayanti holiday. The strong debut sets the stage for a promising extended weekend.
With a Rs 5 crore collection on day one, 'Joker 2' secured the second-highest box office earnings for the day, trailing only behind the highly anticipated Jr NTR starrer 'Devara', which grossed an estimated Rs 20.50 crore across all languages.Despite the mid-week release, the Hollywood film outpaced other competitors, such as the Bollywood horror-comedy sequel 'Stree 2', which earned approximately Rs 1.80 crore.

Interestingly, the film also beat out the collection of the 2019 'Joker' movie, which opened to a collection of Rs 4 crore on Day 1. 'Joker 2', arrived in theatres, exactly 5 years after the original dropped in theatres on October 2. Trade reports suggest that the film earned an advance weekend booking surpassing the Rs 10 crore mark. Unlike other Bollywood films, Hollywood movies releasing in India rely heavily on advance bookings.
Todd Phillips' Joker: Folie à Deux' follows up on the massive success of the first film. This sequel brings an intriguing blend of dark drama and musical elements to the table, with both Phoenix and Gaga captivating audiences with their portrayals of two iconic characters - Joker and Harley Quinn.
With the positive reviews and great word of mouth, it remains to be seen if the film will pick up its pace at the Indian box office. Meanwhile, the film that hits American theatres on Friday, is eyeing a $140 million weekend. This is a sharp decline from the $240 million 'Joker' made in 2019.