‘Michael’ Crosses Rs 20 Crore in India on Day 4, Outpaces Dhurandhar 2 and Bhooth Bangla on First Monday

Mumbai: Lionsgate’s biographical drama Michael recorded its first Monday collection of Rs 2.25 crore across 2,744 shows on April 28, 2026, marking a 61 percent drop from its Sunday earnings of Rs 5.50 crore, according to data published by Sacnilk. The film’s cumulative India gross collection stands at Rs 22.50 crore, with a net collection of Rs 18.75 crore after four days of theatrical release. 

The film’s first Monday collection of Rs 2.25 crore placed it ahead of competing domestic releases. According to tracking data reported by News24, Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar 2 collected Rs 1.05 crore on the same day, making Michael’s Monday figure more than twice that of the Hindi-language release. Akshay Kumar’s Bhooth Bangla, in its second week of release, also recorded a steep drop on the same day.

Regional Footfall Distribution

Southern Indian states registered the highest occupancy rates for Michael. According to Sacnilk data cited by Republic World, Kochi, Kerala led all cities with a 61.7 percent occupancy rate across 31 shows on Day 4. Bengaluru, Karnataka, recorded 20.3 percent occupancy across 146 shows. Chennai and Hyderabad each registered occupancy rates above 10 percent. By comparison, the National Capital Region and Mumbai recorded lower audience footfalls than southern metropolitan centres during the same period.

Global Box Office Context

The film’s Indian performance is part of a broader global debut that set multiple industry records. According to final weekend actuals published by The Hollywood Reporter, Michael recorded a domestic opening of $97.2 million in North America and a foreign launch of $121.6 million, for a combined global opening weekend of $218.8 million.

The $97.2 million domestic debut surpassed the previous all-time record for a biopic opening, set by Universal’s Straight Outta Compton at $60.1 million in 2015. The international opening of $120.3 million in 82 territories also surpassed the offshore debut of Bohemian Rhapsody ($79.9 million), previously the record holder for a music biopic. The film opened at No. 1 in 64 of the 82 international markets it entered, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Variety reported the film’s opening weekend projections were initially set at $50 million to $60 million domestically, with bullish estimates reaching approximately $70 million heading into release weekend. The final figure of $97.2 million exceeded the highest internal projections by close to $30 million.

Production and Cast

Michael is directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by John Logan. The film is produced by Graham King, John Branca and John McClain, and distributed domestically by Lionsgate and internationally by Universal Pictures. The production budget is reported by Deadline at approximately $200 million, placing it among the most expensive biopics ever produced. Production costs were split between Lionsgate, Universal and the Michael Jackson estate, according to Variety.

The title role is played by Jaafar Jackson, the late singer’s real-life nephew, in his acting debut. Juliano Krue Valdi portrays a younger version of Michael Jackson. The ensemble cast includes Colman Domingo as Joe Jackson, Nia Long as Katherine Jackson, Miles Teller, Laura Harrier, and Larenz Tate. The film follows Jackson’s career from his time with the Jackson 5 through the release of the 1988 Bad World Tour, and has been described as the first instalment of a planned two-part biographical series.

Critical Reception and Controversy

The film carries a 38 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, according to Variety. Critics have noted that the film does not address the child sexual abuse allegations that were made against Michael Jackson later in his career. Variety reported that an earlier version of the screenplay had dramatised a 1993 civil lawsuit, but those sequences were removed after producers discovered a contractual clause in the settlement that prohibited any depiction of the accuser in film or television. The film’s narrative concludes with events from 1988, prior to the period in which allegations first became public.

Despite the critical consensus, audience reception in India has been positive, with multiple Bollywood figures publicly endorsing the film. Filmmaker Farah Khan called it “phenomenal” and “deeply moving,” and wrote in a social media post that Jaafar Jackson’s portrayal was worthy of awards consideration. The film’s Indian run is expected to continue into its second week before competition from new releases, including The Devil Wears Prada 2, intensifies globally from May 1.

Also Read / The ₹3,100 Movie Ticket: What Dhurandhar 2 Reveals About the New Economics of Bollywood.