The Conjuring: Last Rites Set to Haunt Indian Box Office
Michael Chaves’ The Conjuring: Last Rites is gearing up for a record-breaking opening in India, outpacing Bollywood rivals Baaghi 4 and The Bengal Files.
A Horror Juggernaut Poised for Domination
Hollywood’s horror machine is back in full swing. Michael Chaves’ The Conjuring: Last Rites, the highly anticipated final chapter in the blockbuster Conjuring franchise, is ready to make a thunderous debut at the Indian box office this Friday, September 5.
The film is already showing signs of being the next Hollywood tentpole to storm Indian cinemas, following the success of Mission: Impossible -The Final Reckoning, Joseph Kosinski’s F1, and Gareth Edwards’ Jurassic World: Rebirth all of which comfortably crossed the ₹100 crore mark earlier this year.
Hollywood’s Winning Streak in India
International releases have carved out an increasingly dominant share of the Indian market in 2024. Brad Pitt’s racing drama F1, Scarlett Johansson’s dinosaur adventure Jurassic World: Rebirth, and Tom Cruise’s latest spy saga Mission: Impossible-The Final Reckoning have drawn huge crowds, proving that global franchises resonate deeply with Indian audiences.
Even niche horror titles like Final Destination: Bloodlines managed to gross more than ₹70 crore, underscoring the genre’s popularity with Indian moviegoers.
The New Challenger: The Conjuring Finale
With The Conjuring: Last Rites, Warner Bros. is closing the curtain on one of horror cinema’s most profitable sagas. According to Pinkvilla, the supernatural thriller has already sold over 80,000 advance tickets across major chains like PVR-INOX and Cinepolis. Industry trackers estimate an opening day haul of around ₹15 crore a figure that would not only outshine its Hindi rivals but also set a new franchise record in India.
By contrast, A Harsha’s Baaghi 4, starring Tiger Shroff and Sanjay Dutt, has managed just ₹5.21 crore in advance sales so far, despite block bookings boosting its numbers. Vivek Agnihotri’s The Bengal Files, featuring Mithun Chakraborty, is lagging even further behind with pre-sales of just ₹45 lakh.
Bollywood Rivals Face Tough Terrain
The Baaghi franchise has historically opened strong, with its previous installments raking in between ₹11 crore and ₹25 crore on debut. However, Baaghi 4 carries an “A” (Adults Only) certification, which could narrow its audience reach. Producer Sajid Nadiadwala is reportedly betting on a darker, more violent tone inspired by Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Animal, which became a ₹500 crore domestic phenomenon in 2023.
Meanwhile, Agnihotri’s The Bengal Files aims to continue his thematic trilogy that began with The Tashkent Files (2019) and soared with The Kashmir Files (2022). While The Kashmir Files emerged as a cultural flashpoint and box office sensation, early numbers suggest the new release may struggle to recreate that momentum.
A Look Back: Conjuring’s India Legacy
If projections hold true, The Conjuring: Last Rites could deliver the franchise’s best-ever opening in India. The original Conjuring (2013) started modestly at ₹80 lakh, before spin-offs like Annabelle (₹2.18 crore) and Annabelle: Creation (₹6 crore) grew the fan base.
The biggest debut so far came from The Nun (2018), which scared up ₹10.8 crore on opening day. Chaves’ earlier entry, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, bypassed theatres altogether in India due to pandemic restrictions, while his The Nun II (2023) clashed with Shah Rukh Khan’s juggernaut Jawan and still managed ₹3.1 crore on day one.
Why This Release Matters
The film’s strong pre-sales highlight two important trends: India’s growing appetite for horror and the enduring strength of Hollywood franchises in a market traditionally dominated by Bollywood. If The Conjuring: Last Rites delivers on its hype, it could redefine expectations for international horror in India and put pressure on domestic filmmakers competing for the same screens.
As film critic circles suggest, horror franchises carry built-in fan loyalty, and Chaves’ finale may well be the kind of event movie Indian audiences flock to for both thrills and nostalgia.
Final Word
With The Conjuring: Last Rites scaring up massive pre-release buzz, all eyes are now on Friday’s box office tally. Should it hit the projected ₹15 crore mark, it won’t just be a landmark opening for the franchise it will also reaffirm Hollywood’s growing dominance in India’s theatrical landscape.
For Bollywood contenders Baaghi 4 and The Bengal Files, the challenge will be surviving the storm unleashed by this supernatural finale.
(Disclaimer: This article is based on publicly available box office data and industry reports. Figures are estimates and subject to change once official collections are announced.)
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