2.0 (Robot 2.o) box office collection day 1: Rajinikanth starrer turns 6th biggest opener of 2018 in AP/TG

Rajinikanth's much-hyped movie 2.0 (Robot / Robo 2.o) has taken the box office in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana (AP/TG) by storm on the first day and emerged as the sixth biggest opener of 2018.

Rajinikanth is the most popular Tamil actor in the Telugu states and his fan following is nothing less to that of Chiranjeevi, Nagarjuna and Venkatesh. Most of his films dubbed and released in Telugu and become hit at the box office in these areas. His 2010 film Robo, dubbed version of Shankar's Enthiran, had become a massive success with its collection crossing Rs 65 crore gross in AP/TG in its lifetime run.

Since 2.0 is a spiritual successor of Enthiran, there was a lot of curiosity and expectations about the movie. The hype surrounding it made its theatrical rights for AP/TG sell for a whopping price of Rs 72 crore. The distributors made a huge arrangement to cash in the craze of Rajinikanth, Akshay Kumar and Shankar. They released the film in around 1,400 screens across the Telugu states.

The movie 2.0 was released in 2 formats – 2D and 3D in three languages Telugu, Tamil and Hindi. The tickets Telugu 3D version were sold like hotcakes and all the shows were sold out the night before it hit the screens. There are decent advance booking for its Telugu 2D and other versions on its opening day.

The hype translated into huge advance booking for 2.0 for its opening day. Its screening began in wee hours of Thursday in several centres across the Telugu states. The movie ran to packed houses almost everywhere. The movie garnered positive talk from everyone and the word of mouth boosted its collection in the later shows on its opening day.

The makers are yet to reveal the numbers. If we are to go by the early estimates, 2.0 has collected approximately Rs 19 crore gross at the AP/TG box office on the first day. The movie is estimated to have earned Rs 12.50 crore for its distributors, who have reportedly shelled out Rs 72 crore on the theatrical rights of the Telugu states.

BARaju, an expert from the industry, tweeted, "Superstar Rajinikanth, Akshay Kumar & Master Director Shankar's #2Point0 collected a gross of 19 crores (12.5cr share) in the Telugu States on Day 1. Highest ever in Superstar RAJINIKANTH's films in Telugu. @rajinikanth @shankarshanmugh @akshaykumar @iamAmyJackson @LycaProductions."

While Rajini's Kaala grossed Rs 3 crore on its opening day, Vijay's Sarkar had gone on to collect Rs 3.6 crore gross at the AP/TG box office on its first day. It was the highest collection for the dubbed version of Tamil film in 2018. It has become the next biggest opener in the Telugu states after Aravinda Sametha, Agnyaathavaasi, Naa Peru Surya, Bharat Ane Nenu and Rangasthalam.

Here are the area-wise earnings of 2.0. These are estimated numbers and they may not match with the actual ones released by its distributors/makers. All the figures are in rupees and crore.