Manikarnika vs Thackeray box-office prediction: Kangana to beat Nawazuddin massively on opening day

The two biggest films of the year, Manikarnika – The Queen of Jhansi and Thackeray – are slated for release and a massive clash this Friday. While Kangana Ranaut's magnum opus – Manikarnika – has a celebrated star cast, opulent sets and costumes grandeur; Nawazuddin's – Thackeray – would be backed by the superlative performance by the stellar star cast.

Both Manikarnika and Thackeray have seen and been through their fair share of controversies, ups and down and cinematic storms. While Manikarnika will bring to the screen the bravery and exuberance of Rani Laxmibai, Thackeray would portray the life and times of Bala Sahab Thackeray. Fans were left awestruck by the teaser and trailer of both the films. And with the songs and dialogue promos releasing slowly, the buzz around the two have just increased.

Manikarnika is Kangana Ranaut's mega-project after an average performance of her previous films Rangoon and Simran at the box-office. On the other hand, Nawazuddin Siddiqui has received immense critical acclaim for his outstanding performance in Manto and Sacred Games. A lot seems to be riding on the two unconventional stars of our industry with their upcoming releases.

While Manikarnika has been made at a whopping cost of over Rs 100 crore, Thackeray has been made at a moderate budget of Rs 30 crore. However, owing to the long weekend with Saturday being Republic Day, they are expected to bring massive footfall to the theatres.

Manikarnika is expected to make somewhere between Rs 10-15 crore on Day 1, while Thackeray is expected to garner Rs 4-5 crore on Day 1. There is no doubt about the fact that Manikarnika would overtake Thackeray at the box office, however, it remains to be seen whether the film would be able to recover its amount.