Sunny Deol's Jaat set to break Gadar's box office record despite competition from Kesari 2

Sunny Deol is still drawing crowds to the theatres — and with his latest film Jaat, he’s nearly recreated the magic of one of his most iconic blockbusters: Gadar. On its 11th day at the box office, Jaat has raked in a total of Rs 74.55 crore, just about a crore shy of the lifetime earnings of Gadar (2001).

Directed by Gopichand Malineni and also starring Randeep Hooda and Vineet Kumar Singh, Jaat is shaping up to be more than just a post-Gadar 2 victory lap for Sunny. It’s a reminder that his appeal hasn’t faded — it’s evolved. The film opened with a solid ₹9.5 crore and wrapped up its first week with ₹61.75 crore, despite facing hurdles along the way.

One of the key moments in Jaat’s box office journey was the controversy surrounding a church scene, which led to backlash from certain religious groups. The makers quickly edited out the scene, allowing the film to stabilize just in time for the competitive second weekend, where it faced off against Akshay Kumar’s Kesari 2. Though Kesari 2 made a strong start with ₹7.5 crore on its opening day, Jaat held its own, bringing in ₹4 crore on Good Friday and gradually increasing to ₹5.15 crore on Sunday.

Despite not being expected to hit Gadar 2 numbers — which had a monstrous run last year — Jaat has managed a rare consistency at the box office. Its Sunday earnings of ₹5.65 crore mark the second-best single-day collection for the film, only behind its opening weekend. The total now stands at ₹74.55 crore in 11 days, and that’s a massive number considering the film didn’t have a festive holiday release or a pan-India push.

What’s particularly interesting is the parallel between Jaat and Gadar — both films tapped into themes of honor, defiance, and high-octane drama, a zone Sunny Deol has owned since the early 2000s. While Gadar became a cultural juggernaut, its success was often seen as a once-in-a-lifetime phenomenon. But with Gadar 2 bringing Deol back into the ₹500 crore club and Jaat showing signs of staying power, it’s clear that the actor is in the midst of a late-career renaissance.

Now the question on everyone’s mind: Will Jaat cross ₹100 crore?

That will depend on how it performs through its third weekend, especially as Kesari 2 continues to gain traction. But if the current trend continues, it’s highly likely that Jaat will reach that milestone, albeit with a slower burn.

Regardless of whether it hits the ₹100 crore mark, one thing’s certain — Jaat proves that Sunny Deol’s Gadar-era intensity still resonates with audiences, making him one of the few stars from his generation who can still fill cinema halls.