Mastiii 4 takes early lead at the box office as 120 Bahadur stumbles on opening day

This Friday brought an unusual clash to the big screen. On one side stood 120 Bahadur, a war drama rooted in the valour of Rezang La and led by Farhan Akhtar. On the other stood Mastiii 4, the fourth chapter of a franchise built on outrageous humour and nostalgia. Their target audiences couldn’t be more different, yet both arrived on the same weekend hoping to pull viewers into theatres. Day 1 numbers are in, and the picture is far from ideal for either film.

A Slow Start for 120 Bahadur

120 Bahadur walked in with expectations riding high. A gripping military story, a respected production house, and Farhan Akhtar at the centre of it all. Yet Friday’s opening fell well short of the buzz surrounding it. The film managed an estimated Rs 2.35 crore on Day 1, with an overall occupancy of 8.58% across roughly 2,725 screens.

The day reflected mild improvement but never caught strong momentum. Morning shows sat at 4.52%, the afternoon crawled to 6.58%, and even prime-time shows could not push past 8.53%. Only the late-night slot showed some spark with 14.7%.

The bigger concern is the comparison. Excel Entertainment’s recent titles opened far stronger, and even within the war-drama space, Sam Bahadur had launched at Rs 6.25 crore. For now, 120 Bahadur trails behind every benchmark it was expected to meet. The story and performances may win some word-of-mouth strength over the weekend, but the competition around the corner isn’t giving it much breathing room.

Mastiii 4 Rises Slightly Higher

If 120 Bahadur brought grit, Mastiii 4 brought unabashed chaos. The trio—Vivek Oberoi, Riteish Deshmukh, and Aftab Shivdasani- returned after almost a decade as Amar, Prem and Meet, hoping that nostalgia would pull in crowds. The film recorded Rs 2.5–2.75 crore on Day 1, depending on estimates, inching just ahead of its box office opponent.

Occupancy hovered at 9.98%, slightly better than its competitor, with night shows briefly touching 15.4%. The Mumbai region performed comparatively well with more than 12% occupancy, while Delhi-NCR stayed under 10%. With 2,857 screens, its reach matched that of 120 Bahadur.

While these are not breakout numbers, the film does hold one positive: it now stands as the second-highest Day 1 opener in the franchise’s history.

Across the franchise, openings have swung wildly, from Rs 1.8 crore for Masti to a towering Rs 12.5 crore for Grand Masti, followed by Rs 2.65 crore for Great Grand Masti. This weekend, Mastiii 4 inched ahead of the third film with Rs 2.75 crore, becoming the series’ second-highest Day 1 opener.

Grand Masti still towers above the others, riding on the shock value and fresh energy it carried back in 2013. The third instalment lost its footing due to an unfortunate pre-release leak. Now, Mastiii 4 has at least managed to edge past the 2016 film by a slim margin. For a series that has lived through highs, lows, and long gaps between releases, this small victory still matters.

The Weekend Ahead: A Tough Road for Both

Despite the genre contrast, both films now face the same uphill challenge. Ajay Devgn’s De De Pyaar De 2 is holding strongly in its second week and is on track to reach the Rs 55 crore mark. That means show counts for the new releases may already face pressure.

And the real test arrives next week with the Dhanush–Kriti Sanon starrer Tere Ishq Mein, which carries far more pre-release excitement and may slice into whatever momentum Mastiii 4 and 120 Bahadur manage to build.

For 120 Bahadur, the weekend will be crucial. War films often depend on steady word-of-mouth rather than explosive openings, but the competition leaves little room for a slow-burn climb. Audience reactions so far suggest appreciation for the intent and performances, though the turnout doesn’t reflect that yet.

Mastiii 4, meanwhile, may rely on its loyal fan base and the comfort of silliness during a crowded month of releases. Its openings have always been tied to mood and marketing, and if the humour lands with its core audience, the film could show slight growth over Saturday and Sunday.