“Mortal Kombat II” has begun its theatrical run in India on a noticeably stronger footing than the 2021 reboot, with early box office figures pointing to improved audience turnout and a wider market reach for the sequel.

According to the reported two-day figures, the film has collected Rs 3.55 crore net in India, nearly three times the earnings of “Mortal Kombat” during its initial release period five years ago. The latest film’s Day 1 collection alone stood at Rs 1.40 crore, almost double the opening-day performance of the earlier title.

The comparison, however, comes with important differences in release conditions. The 2021 film arrived during the pandemic and faced restrictions in several markets. It was also released simultaneously on HBO Max in the United States, which affected theatrical business globally. “Mortal Kombat II,” by contrast, has received an exclusive theatrical rollout backed by a much larger distribution push.

The sequel opened across 4,543 screens internationally and benefited from premium format releases including IMAX 2D and 4DX. Industry tracker Sacnilk reported that the film registered a 53.6 per cent jump in collections on its second day in India.

Regional-language versions appear to be contributing meaningfully to the film’s performance. The Tamil and Telugu dubbed editions reportedly recorded stronger occupancy levels, around 15 per cent, compared to the English and Hindi versions. That trend reflects the continued importance of dubbed Hollywood releases in southern Indian markets, where action-driven franchises often find a steady audience base.

The film has also shown stronger momentum in North America than its predecessor. In the United States, “Mortal Kombat II” earned an estimated $17 million on its opening day, including preview screenings. The first film had collected around $9 million on its opening Friday. Worldwide, the sequel’s reported three-day gross has reached $25.9 million.

Even with the improved start, the film remains behind some of the bigger Hollywood performers currently running in Indian cinemas. “The Devil Wears Prada 2,” now in its second week, reportedly collected Rs 1.20 crore on its second Friday, a figure not far from the opening-day total of “Mortal Kombat II.”

Directed by Simon McQuoid, the sequel features Karl Urban alongside Jessica McNamee, Tadanobu Asano, Mehcad Brooks and Hiroyuki Sanada. The project is co-produced by James Wan and Todd Garner, with the screenplay written by Jeremy Slater.

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For now, the sequel’s early numbers suggest a more stable theatrical reception than the previous installment, helped in part by wider access to cinemas and stronger premium-format support. How long that momentum holds may become clearer over the coming week as competition at the box office continues to intensify.