One of the surest action franchises of Bollywood at one time was the Baaghi series led by Tiger Shroff. It was distinguished by high-energy action stunts, hardcore action scenes, and mass appeal, which had a large audience who were eager to see each new launch. But in Baaghi 4 the magic is apparently disappearing. With all its star power and brand legacy, the movie has failed to attract strong performances at the ticket counters and has received a warm reception and cast doubts on the future of the franchise.
First Week Collections Could not impress.
According to trade reports, the film grossed approximately ₹53.74 crore in India as of the end of its first week, a very poor figure considering the size of a franchise like this one. The 7th day itself had only ₹3 crore, which shows how the momentum decreased the moment it was released. The film, Baaghi 3, earned the position of nearly ₹90 crore during the first week, almost twice as much as the performance of the present film. It is clear that Baaghi 4 has not managed to repeat the success of the past and did not meet the box office expectations of its predecessors.
Competitive pressures are very high, and they eat revenue.
One of the key factors that has contributed to such underperformance is high competition in terms of international and local release. Demon Slayer is a Japanese anime blockbuster that has stormed the Indian box office and has amassed impressive numbers and attracted younger viewers. It has topped Bollywood releases, even Baaghi 4, with more than ₹10 crore being made as advance bookings only. Films such as Lokah and Param Sundari have also scooped their own niche, which further cuts the portion of the viewers. The Tiger Shroff starrer just could not attract the attention in such a crowded marketplace.
A Slump in Occupancy Means Low Appeal.
There is no need to explain the struggles of the film through the occupancy numbers. The morning and afternoon shows had an attendance of around 5-10 percent, and the evening and night shows, which would have been the strongest, had only 8-12 percent attendance. The presence of such figures emphasizes a dullness about the film. This is in comparison to the previous iterations of the franchise, where houseful shows were witnessed during opening weeks, whereas Baaghi 4 appears to be playing to empty theatres, a sign of its inability to create buzz or word-of-mouth hype.
The problem of Repetition.
The repetitive nature of the storyline is one of the most commonly mentioned causes of fans’ disappointment. Baaghi movies have always been associated with revenge, high-stakes drama, and jaw-dropping fight scenes. Although this formula has been effective in the past, audiences believe that it has become stale. Baaghi 4 can be technically and technically good, but the story has got little innovative and emotional content. Most viewers feel like they are witnessing a retelling of the same story, and thus the experience is not surprising and is mediocre.
Music Fails to Strike a Chord.
Music has always been a leading factor in the success of Bollywood action films, as it provides viewers with memorable songs that continue to remain popular even after the film exits theatres. The Baaghi 4 soundtrack has unfortunately had no great impression. None of the songs has become famous or even valuable to the story. This lack of good music, coupled with a lack of good character growth, makes the film lack the emotional hook that would fill in its scenes full of action.
Discounts and Offers.
As footfalls dwindled, distributors and exhibitors resorted to promotion methods such as offering “Buy One Get One Free” in an attempt to increase the number. Although such plans might have helped to attract a certain number of viewers in the short term, they also highlight the fact that there was no natural demand for the movie. Movies that are not compelling enough also seem to make audiences reluctant to pay full prices for the tickets to watch them unless they are compelled through discounts to do so.
Comparison With Previous Installments.
The underperformance can be seen better when one looks at the path the franchise has taken. Baaghi I and II films generated good momentum in their blend of romance and glamorous action. Baaghi 3, which was released in insecure times, earned credible revenues anyway. But Baaghi 4 has failed to even pass ₹50 crore in a week, showing that the franchise has not been keeping up with the changing audience expectations. The originality element that initially gained the attention of fans appears to be lacking at the moment in favour of exhaustion and monotony.
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What the Franchise Requires in the Future.
The dismal performance of Baaghi 4 is an indication that it is now time to reinvent. It is no longer sufficient to rely on the athletic fame of Tiger Shroff and flashy action choreography to ensure success. The current audiences are in search of multi-dimensional stories with good character development, emotionalism, and novelty in performance. Should the makers decide to make another installment, they need to leave the repetitive pattern of the franchise and present something really novel.
Final Thoughts
The poor box office performance of the underwhelming Baaghi 4 can be seen as an indicator of changing preferences of Indian moviegoers. Disfigured by high competition, trailed along by low occupancy, and stifled by the lack of originality in storytelling, the film has not resonated with viewers. To a franchise that was once very immensely popular, this is a wake-up call. The Baaghi series will soon become irrelevant in the coming years unless it changes with the changing demand of the audience with better scripts and intriguing plots.
Written by Nidhi Singh