The much-talked-about biographical musical drama Michael arrived in theatres on April 24, 2026, and began its India run with paid previews a day earlier.
Directed by Antoine Fuqua, the film features Jaafar Jackson, nephew of pop legend Michael Jackson, in the lead, supported by Miles Teller, Nia Long, and Laura Harrier. It explores the life and journey of the global icon.
Despite facing competition from local releases and IPL matches, the film managed to collect around Rs 2 crore gross in previews, as per Sacnilk report, signalling decent initial interest.
The momentum picked up on Day 1 (Friday), with the film earning Rs 3.80 crore net—an impressive 123.5% jump from its Rs 1.70 crore preview India net earnings. It played across 3,029 shows on Day 1. With this, the total India net collection stands at Rs 5.50 crore, while the gross reached Rs 6.60 crore.
Occupancy trends reflect a gradual rise through the day. The English (2D) version recorded an overall 21.86%, starting at 16.78% in the morning, moving to 20.11% in the afternoon, 23.11% in the evening, and peaking at 27.44% at night.
Region-wise, Kochi stood out with the highest occupancy at 71.3% (58% morning, 63% afternoon, 80% evening, 84% night). Chennai followed at 33%, Hyderabad at 26%, and Bengaluru at 21.5%. Mumbai (12.3%), Pune (11.8%), and NCR (8%) showed moderate turnout, while Kolkata (7.5%) and Ahmedabad (5.5%) remained low.
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Premium formats delivered mixed results. IMAX 2D recorded 31.2% occupancy overall, led by Chennai at 76% and Bengaluru at 36.5%. 4DX saw 31.75%, with Hyderabad (46.3%) and Kochi (49.5%) performing best, and night shows hitting 40.14%. MX4D stood at 18.50%, ICE at 12.25% (rising to 24.5% at night), while Dolby Cine remained lowest at 6%, improving slightly to 14% at night. The regular 2D Screen format performed better at 34.88%, with afternoon shows touching 41%.
Notably, film reviewers have largely been critical, accusing the film of softening controversial aspects of Michael Jackson's life. On Rotten Tomatoes, it currently holds a 40% critics' score from 163 reviews, after opening at a low 27%. In contrast, audiences have responded positively, giving it a strong 96% score, highlighting a clear gap between critical and public opinion.
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Overall, Michael has found strong support among audiences and key southern markets, giving it a promising start at the box office.
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