Demon Slayer Infinity Castle Smashes Box Office with ₹13 Crore Debut in India
Demon Slayer Infinity Castle earns ₹13 crore on Day 1 in India, outperforming Bollywood rivals and joining global box office success.
Anime Triumphs at the Indian Box Office
The Indian film market has long been dominated by Bollywood masala entertainers, Hollywood blockbusters, and regional cinema powerhouses. But in recent years, one genre has been steadily gaining traction anime. That trend reached a new peak with the release of Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, which opened to ₹13 crore on its very first day, according to data from industry tracker Sacnilk.
Directed by Haruo Sotozaki, the highly anticipated anime installment proved that Japanese animation has evolved from niche fan screenings into a major box office contender in India.
A Strong Opening Day
The buzz for Infinity Castle was evident weeks before release. Advance bookings indicated exceptional demand, with several theaters in metros such as Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Delhi reporting sold-out shows.
While early projections suggested that Day 1 collections might touch ₹15 crore, the final figure of ₹13 crore remains a milestone, making it one of the strongest anime openings in India to date.
In terms of comparison, the film outperformed several big-ticket Indian releases that hit theaters around the same time:
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Baaghi 4 – ₹12 crore
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Param Sundari – ₹7.25 crore
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The Bengal Files – ₹1.75 crore
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Mirai – ₹12 crore
The only title to edge past it on opening day was The Conjuring: Last Rites, which earned ₹17.5 crore.
Anime’s Best-Ever Performance in India
Anime releases in India have historically struggled to generate significant box office numbers, despite strong global fanbases. In 2022, Jujutsu Kaisen 0 collected ₹4.85 crore in four days before exiting theaters, while Makoto Shinkai’s Suzume in 2023 failed to cross even ₹1 crore domestically.
Against that backdrop, Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle represents a dramatic leap forward. Not only has it set a new benchmark for anime films in India, but it has also managed to outperform mainstream Bollywood and Hollywood competition.
Even James Gunn’s Superman reboot, one of the year’s most anticipated Hollywood releases, managed only ₹7.25 crore on Day 1 in India nearly half of Infinity Castle’s opening.
Occupancy and Show Distribution
The nationwide occupancy rate for Infinity Castle averaged 39.61% across all shows. The film’s momentum grew as the day progressed:
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Morning shows: 31.35%
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Afternoon shows: 33.49%
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Evening shows: 42.6%
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Night shows: 50.98%
The film screened in just over 1,000 shows across the country, with Hyderabad (181 shows) and Bengaluru (173 shows) emerging as top-performing cities. Both metros have historically shown strong interest in anime releases, and their response reflects the growing presence of dedicated fan communities in South India.
The Global Picture: Box Office Records
The momentum for Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle is not limited to India. Globally, the film has already crossed $279 million (₹2,383 crore), according to Box Office Mojo.
In the United States, distributor Sony had initially predicted a $45 million weekend haul. However, Deadline’s industry projections suggest the film could reach $60 million (₹529 crore) by the end of the week — underscoring its appeal beyond Japanese and Asian markets.
Such figures confirm that Demon Slayer has become a truly global cultural phenomenon, capable of competing with Hollywood’s most established franchises.
Cast and Creative Team
Directed by Haruo Sotozaki, the Japanese-language version of the film features a seasoned voice cast:
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Natsuki Hanae as Tanjiro Kamado
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Takahiro Sakurai as Giyu Tomioka
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Saori Hayami as Shinobu Kocho
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Akira Ashida as Kanao Tsuyuri
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Hiro Shimono as Zenitsu Agatsuma
Their performances lend authenticity and emotional depth to the storytelling, which has been a hallmark of the Demon Slayer franchise since its inception.
Why Infinity Castle Matters in India
The success of Infinity Castle is about more than just strong box office numbers. It highlights a generational and cultural shift among Indian moviegoers.
1. The Pandemic Effect
During the COVID-19 lockdowns, Indian audiences particularly younger viewers turned to streaming platforms, where anime content was widely available. Titles such as Naruto, Attack on Titan, and Demon Slayer itself found new fanbases. This exposure laid the foundation for anime’s theatrical growth.
2. Changing Audience Preferences
With Bollywood struggling to produce consistent theatrical hits and Hollywood franchises often underperforming outside metros, anime films are stepping in to offer fresh content. For younger demographics, anime brings not just entertainment but a strong cultural identity and community experience.
3. Theatrical Viability
The film’s performance also sends a message to distributors and theater chains: anime is commercially viable in India. The growing attendance rates suggest that more anime films could secure wider releases in the future.
Industry Perspectives
Film analysts have noted that anime’s rise in India reflects broader global trends. Japan’s animation industry has long produced blockbuster franchises, but its theatrical footprint outside Asia was limited until recently.
The breakthrough came with Demon Slayer: Mugen Train in 2020, which became the highest-grossing Japanese film of all time worldwide. Since then, every installment of the franchise has carried enormous anticipation.
India, with its vast youth population and booming streaming culture, is emerging as a natural extension of this global wave.
What Lies Ahead
If Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle continues its strong run, it could open doors for a steady stream of anime releases in India. This would benefit not just Japanese studios but also Indian distributors looking to diversify their content pipeline.
For audiences, it means greater access to global storytelling styles that had once been limited to streaming or fan communities. For the industry, it means acknowledging that anime is no longer a niche category it’s a force capable of reshaping box office trends.
Conclusion
Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle has done more than deliver a blockbuster opening. It has redefined the boundaries of theatrical success in India, proving that anime films can rival, and even surpass, the biggest Bollywood and Hollywood releases.
With ₹13 crore on Day 1 and a global tally crossing $279 million, Haruo Sotozaki’s film is both a commercial triumph and a cultural milestone. Its success underscores a broader shift in audience preferences one that could reshape the Indian box office for years to come.
(Disclaimer: This article is based on publicly available box office tracking data from Sacnilk, Box Office Mojo, and Deadline. Figures are approximate and subject to official confirmation.)
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