James Gunn’s highly-anticipated superhero film Superman has made a strong entry at the Indian box office, surpassing expectations and leaving behind recent Bollywood releases, including Rajkummar Rao’s Maalik and Shanaya Kapoor’s debut vehicle Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan.
Starring David Corenswet in the lead role, the DC film collected Rs 7 crore nett on its opening day across Indian theatres, as reported by Sacnilk.com. The performance places Superman among the top three Hollywood openers in India for 2025, following closely behind Tom Cruise’s Mission Impossible: Final Reckoning and Jurassic World: Rebirth featuring Scarlett Johansson.
Industry estimates suggest that the film is on track to earn a weekend total of approximately Rs 20 crore, putting it ahead of competing releases. In comparison, Brad Pitt’s motorsport drama F1 earned Rs 5.5 crore on Day 1, while Maalik and Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan brought in Rs 3.35 crore and Rs 35 lakh respectively.
Despite falling short of Jurassic World: Rebirth’s Rs 9.2 crore debut, Superman has still delivered a strong box office performance, thanks to the positive critical acclaim and huge turnout in high-end formats like IMAX and 4DX.
The film has also performed better than recent Hollywood entries like Final Destination: Bloodlines, Captain America: Brave New World, and F1, becoming one of the standout foreign releases of the year in the Indian market.
Apart from Corenswet, the cast includes Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, along with Nathan Fillion, Isabela Merced, and Milly Alcock in supporting roles.
Directed by Gunn, the film centers on a younger Clark Kent navigating the complexities of his dual identity as a Kryptonian and human. Instead of rehashing his origin, the film explores alienation, media scrutiny, and early career struggles, along with his evolving relationship with Lois and the looming threat of Lex Luthor.
In India, Superman underwent modifications as per directives from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). According to Bollywood Hungama, the CBFC instructed the removal of a 33-second kissing scene between Corenswet and Brosnahan, as well as several explicit terms. An 8-second shot featuring a suggestive gesture was also trimmed, replaced with a 2-second sequence.