F1 The Movie Box Office Collection: Brad Pitt starrer off to flying start in India

The one key reason for a strong opening is probably the sport itself. Formula 1 or F1 enjoys a niche but passionate fan base in India, which turned up for the film.

By Jatinder Singh

Published on Jun 28, 2025 | 01:01 PM IST | 37K

Brad Pitt in F1 The Movie (image courtesy of Warner Bros)

F1: The Movie took trade by surprise in India, speeding off the line with a strong Rs. 6.50 crore (USD 750K) opening day. These numbers include Rs. 30 lakhs from IMAX fans' first previews earlier this week.

The Hollywood box office in India is very much IP-based, with records of all sorts dominated by films from a handful of franchises. There are perhaps only five original Hollywood films, original in the sense of not being a sequel, prequel, reboot, spin-off or remake, that have managed to open above Rs. 5 crore. And even to compile that list, one has to look back nearly two decades to titles like 2012, Avatar and Life of Pi.

The one key reason for a strong opening is probably the sport itself. Formula 1 or F1 enjoys a niche but passionate fan base in India, which turned up for the film. The film also benefits from being a large-screen spectacle, with IMAX accounting for over one-third of its business. Adding to the appeal is the fact that this is the director’s follow-up to his 2022 global blockbuster Top Gun: Maverick. That, Tom Cruise fronted film opened to Rs. 3.50 crore and then went on to have a twenty-plus week run in India for Rs. 49 crore final gross.

F1 is expected to show good growth over the weekend, with the first weekend projected to come in around Rs. 25 crore. That would have been a solid lifetime number for this film; now it can aim for a lot more. Although next week will see the release of the big Hollywood tentpole, Jurassic World, F1 has IMAXes to its disposal exclusively for the next two weeks, which should keep it running. A Rs. 50 crore plus final seems easy enough, which would be amongst the biggest ever for an original film in India.

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