When John Abraham stepped into the shoes of The Diplomat, the film carried immense promise. From its initial buzz to the audience’s curiosity, everything seemed to hint at a solid box office run. However, the reality turned out to be different. While the film had a decent opening, its earnings have gradually dipped, starting its second week on a slow note with just ₹1.25 crore on Friday. Despite this, one thing remains clear John Abraham’s smart financial strategy has kept the film in the green.
The Journey from a Strong Start to a Steady Decline
The Diplomat kicked off its theatrical journey with a fair ₹4 crore opening, sparking hope among fans and critics alike. However, as days passed, the numbers didn’t hold up as expected. By the end of its first week, the film had collected ₹19.15 crore, but as it stepped into week two, the earnings dropped significantly. On Day 8 (Friday), it managed only ₹1.25 crore, bringing the total box office collection to approximately ₹20.40 crore.
One of the major factors affecting its performance has been the overall occupancy rate of 12.83%, with morning shows seeing the least footfall and night shows peaking at 23.97%. The film’s decline in revenue suggests that audience engagement has weakened, though it still managed to outperform Hollywood’s Snow White, which could only bring in ₹65 lakh at the Indian box office.
A Financially Safe Film Despite Challenges
Despite its low earnings, The Diplomat has surprisingly turned out to be a profitable venture for John Abraham. The film was reportedly made on a modest budget of ₹20 crore, ensuring that even with a ₹20.40 crore collection, the film does not suffer a major loss. However, the road to success wasn’t easy. John Abraham himself admitted that securing a studio for the film was a tough battle. Adding to the hurdles, several OTT platforms outright rejected the film, stating that they “did not find it great.” Speaking to Pinkvilla, John shared his frustration, saying, “The loss of faith happens from the studio. When a studio sees a film, they may try to mitigate the risk by offering it to OTT platforms. When some OTT channels refused The Diplomat, they threw it out.”
Despite these struggles, John has maintained a positive outlook, focusing more on storytelling than box office numbers. He has repeatedly emphasized that, for him, the impact of a film matters more than its earnings.
Competing with Chhaava and Hollywood Releases
One of the biggest challenges for The Diplomat has been stiff competition from Vicky Kaushal’s Chhaava, which has drawn significant attention. However, even in a competitive market, The Diplomat managed to outperform the latest Hollywood release, Snow White, proving that there is still an audience for content-driven cinema.
What’s Next for The Diplomat?
With its second week now in motion, The Diplomat will have to rely on word-of-mouth publicity and weekend footfalls to sustain its theatrical run. Given the current trends, it is unlikely to see a massive jump, but its cost-effective production model ensures that it will not be a loss-making film.
John Abraham’s decision to focus on content rather than numbers has sparked debate within the industry, especially as more films struggle to find their footing. While The Diplomat may not be a blockbuster, it stands as an example of a well-calculated risk that ultimately paid off. The box office numbers mentioned in this article are based on estimates from sources like sacnilk.com. Actual figures may vary. The article reflects industry trends and does not serve as financial or investment advice.
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