'Jailer 2' opens big at Kerala box office amidst strong backlash from Mohanlal fans
'Jailer 2' recorded a massive opening-day collection of ₹12.50 crore in Kerala, marking the second-highest gross in the region's history. The film achieved a stellar worldwide opening day gross of ₹125.25 crore, significantly outperforming its predecessor
Rajinikanth's "Jailer 2" has made a strong start at the Kerala box office, collecting ₹12.50 crore in the territory on its opening day. According to trade tracker Sacnilk, the film recorded the second-biggest opening-day gross in Kerala’s box office history. In terms of Kerala box office
Rajinikanth's "Jailer 2" has made a strong start at the Kerala box office, collecting ₹12.50 crore in the territory on its opening day. According to trade tracker Sacnilk, the film recorded the second-biggest opening-day gross in Kerala’s box office history. In terms of Kerala box office
Rajinikanth's "Jailer 2" has made a strong start at the Kerala box office, collecting ₹12.50 crore in the territory on its opening day. According to trade tracker Sacnilk, the film recorded the second-biggest opening-day gross in Kerala’s box office history. In terms of Kerala box office
Rajinikanth's "Jailer 2" has made a strong start at the Kerala box office, collecting ₹12.50 crore in the territory on its opening day. According to trade tracker Sacnilk, the film recorded the second-biggest opening-day gross in Kerala’s box office history.
In terms of Kerala box office collections alone, "Jailer 2" stands behind "Empuraan", which collected ₹14 crore on its first day, but ahead of Thalapathy Vijay’s "Leo", which earned ₹12 crore. Across India, "Jailer 2" collected ₹70.25 crore in gross revenue on Day 1, while its worldwide opening day gross reached ₹125.25 crore.
The sequel has also performed much better than the first "Jailer", released in 2023. The original film earned ₹5.90 crore in Kerala on its opening day, while “Jailer 2” collected ₹12.50 crore, marking a growth of around 111.8%.
The sequel also recorded growth in other markets. Its domestic net collection rose to ₹59.70 crore. Meanwhile, its worldwide gross reached ₹125.25 crore.
The strong opening is largely linked to the success of the first film, the excitement surrounding the sequel and the return of Mohanlal as Mathew. His popular cameo in the original “Jailer” had raised expectations among fans for his appearance in the sequel.
However, after the first shows on Thursday, many Mohanlal fans in Kerala expressed disappointment with his limited role in the new film. The controversy grew after reports emerged that the final theatrical version had omitted several scenes with the superstar, including footage shown in the official trailer.
Adding fuel to the fire, Jishad Shamsudeen, Mohanlal’s personal costume designer, also voiced his disappointment on social media. He revealed that three different looks created for the actor’s character were left out of the final cut.
Shamsudeen criticised the decision to remove scenes featuring a star of Mohanlal’s stature. He also announced that he would not work on a possible "Jailer 3" (teased at the end of "Jailer 2") or any future instalments in the franchise.
The issue has sparked debate on social media, with some fans accusing the filmmakers of reducing Mohanlal’s role to keep the focus on Rajinikanth.
Despite the controversy, "Jailer 2" has delivered an impressive opening. Its box office success shows strong audience interest, but the backlash highlights the challenge of meeting fans’ expectations when popular superstars share the screen.
(Read our "Jailer 2" review here.)