The historical epic struggles to draw audiences, recording the lowest Bollywood opening of 2025.
May 25, 2025: Suniel Shetty and Sooraj Pancholi’s historical action drama Kesari Veer opened to a lukewarm reception at the box office, managing just ₹25 lakh on its first day. The film, which also marks Sooraj Pancholi’s comeback after four years, was released on May 23 and struggled to find an audience.
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According to early estimates from Sacnilk, Kesari Veer recorded an overall Hindi occupancy of 6.62% on Friday. This marks the lowest opening collection for a Bollywood release in 2025, failing to beat even The Bhootnii (₹65 lakh) and Superboys of Malegaon (₹50 lakh) on their respective opening days.
Adding to its woes, the film faced stiff competition from Rajkummar Rao and Wamiqa Gabbi’s Bhool Chuk Maaf, which grossed a strong ₹6.75 crore net in India on its opening day.
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The historical drama, directed by Prince Dhiman, tells the story of Hamirji Gohil, a valiant warrior who fought to protect the Somnath Temple and the Hindu faith from the Tughlaq Empire. Alongside Shetty and Pancholi, the film features Akanksha Sharma, Barkha Bisht, Kiran Kumar, Aruna Irani, and Bhavya Gandhi in key roles.
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Despite a shoutout from Salman Khan on social media—where he shared a photo with Sooraj and wrote, “Abhi raat hai, subah Sooraj chamkega (It’s night now, the sun will rise in the morning)”—the film’s opening numbers suggest a tough road ahead.
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Kesari Veer, Kesari Veer box office, Suniel Shetty, Sooraj Pancholi, Bollywood box office, historical action drama, Prince Dhiman, Bhool Chuk Maaf, Bollywood movies, Akanksha Sharma, Barkha Bisht, Kiran Kumar, Aruna Irani, Bhavya Gandhi