Two major Hollywood releases currently running in Indian theatres — Michael and The Devil Wears Prada 2 — are witnessing sharply contrasting box office trends.
While Michael continues to maintain strong momentum fuelled by nostalgia, music, and emotional storytelling, The Devil Wears Prada 2 is seeing a more limited run driven primarily by urban multiplex audiences and fans of the original franchise.
Day-Wise Box Office Collections
On Day 16, Michael earned approximately Rs 1.31 crore in India, taking its total India net collection to Rs 47.06 crore. The film’s India gross collection currently stands at Rs 56.32 crore.
In comparison, The Devil Wears Prada 2 collected around Rs 0.97 crore on Day 9, pushing its India net collection to Rs 20.42 crore, while gross earnings touched Rs 24.36 crore.
Despite opening slower, Michael has clearly emerged as the stronger performer in terms of both sustained collections and overall theatrical momentum.
Opening Weekend Performance
Directed by Antoine Fuqua, Michael had a relatively modest start at the Indian box office. The film opened with Rs 3.70 crore on Day 1 and recorded only 7% occupancy despite releasing across more than 3,000 shows.
However, the biographical drama gained momentum over the weekend, earning Rs 5.25 crore on Saturday and Rs 5.85 crore on Sunday.
The film’s emotional narrative, iconic music, and audience curiosity surrounding Michael Jackson have contributed significantly to its long theatrical run.
On the other hand, The Devil Wears Prada 2 opened stronger initially. The sequel collected Rs 3.80 crore on Day 1 from approximately 1,600 shows, followed by Rs 4 crore on Saturday and Rs 3.85 crore on Sunday.
Occupancy Trends
Michael witnessed a unique occupancy pattern. After beginning with just 7% occupancy on opening day, the film climbed steadily to 19% on Saturday and 21% on Sunday.
Interestingly, its strongest occupancy figures came during the second weekend, reaching 47% on the second Friday and 43% on the second Saturday — a sign of strong word-of-mouth and repeat audience interest.
In contrast, The Devil Wears Prada 2 opened with a healthy 36% occupancy and peaked at 37% on Day 2. However, the film experienced sharper weekday declines, with occupancy falling to around 13–15% from Day 4 onward.
Its Day 9 morning occupancy currently stands at 17.11%.
Screen Count And Reach
Michael also enjoyed a much wider theatrical release across India. The film opened in over 3,200 shows and continues to run in 843 shows even on Day 16.
Meanwhile, The Devil Wears Prada 2 had a comparatively smaller release footprint, debuting in around 1,600 shows before dropping to 541 shows by Day 9.
Industry observers believe the sequel’s niche appeal among metro audiences and fashion-drama fans has restricted its broader theatrical reach.
Region-Wise Performance
Michael has performed particularly strongly in southern markets.
Bengaluru led Day 16 occupancy figures at 29%, while Chennai and Kochi remained close behind at 28%.
Mumbai and Hyderabad recorded 20% occupancy, while Kolkata reported the weakest response at 8%.
For The Devil Wears Prada 2, Pune emerged as the strongest market with 36% occupancy. Mumbai and Ahmedabad followed with 24%, while Bengaluru maintained stable numbers at 21%.
However, Chennai and Kolkata continued to record occupancy below 10%.
Audience Response
Audience reception has played a key role in the contrasting box office performances of the two films.
Michael has received praise for Jaafar Jackson’s portrayal of Michael Jackson, with viewers particularly appreciating his resemblance to the legendary singer and the film’s music-driven storytelling.
Meanwhile, The Devil Wears Prada 2, directed by David Frankel, has largely attracted fans of the original cult classic thanks to the return of Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, and Emily Blunt.
However, the sequel’s theatrical run has so far remained concentrated within urban multiplex audiences.