Based on official box office figures, Sky Force has taken off impressively, earning INR 73.20 crore nett in India during its opening weekend. While it’s still too early to declare the movie a hit, this period aerial war drama, starring Akshay Kumar in the lead and marking the debut of Veer Pahariya, has made a strong start. The film also features Nimrat Kaur and Sara Ali Khan and is inspired by real-life events during the 1965 India-Pakistan War. Directed by Abhishek Anil Kapur and Sandeep Kewlani, Sky Force is produced by Maddock Films and Jio Studios. ‘Sky Force’ Movie Review: Akshay Kumar Overshadows a Struggling Veer Pahariya and Yet the War Drama Refuses To Take Flight!

Releasing on January 24, 2025, Sky Force has benefitted from its strategic timing during the Republic Day weekend, which aligns perfectly with the film’s patriotic themes. While patriotic releases during this period often open well at the box office, strong openings don’t always translate to long-term success. With a reported budget of INR 160 crore, Sky Force still has significant ground to cover to achieve 'hit' status - particularly with Shahid Kapoor's Deva set to release on January 31.

Now that Sky Force’s opening weekend figures are in, let’s see where Akshay Kumar’s latest film ranks among Bollywood’s major Republic Day releases over the past decade (2015–2025). This festive period has consistently witnessed impressive performances from star-studded films featuring Shah Rukh Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Kangana Ranaut, Deepika Padukone and others. ‘Sky Force’ Box Office Verdict – Hit or Flop: Decoding How Akshay Kumar and Veer Pahariya’s War Drama Soared in Its Opening Weekend!

In this special box office feature, we rank Bollywood’s Republic Day festive releases from the past 10 years based on their opening weekend net collections in India, starting from the lowest to the highest - and examine whether these films ultimately triumphed at the box office.

14. Thackeray (2019)

A Still From Thackeray

Director: Abhijit Panse

Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Amrita Rao

First Weekend Collections: INR 10.50 crore

Net Lifetime Collections: INR 18.19 crore

Box Office Verdict: Flop

13. Dolly Ki Doli (2015)

A Still From Dolly Ki Doli

Director: Abhishek Dogra

Cast: Sonam Kapoor, Pulkit Samrat, Rajkummar Rao, Varun Sharma and Saif Ali Khan

First Weekend Collections: INR 10.75 crore

Net Lifetime Collections: INR 19.26 crore

Box Office Verdict: Flop

12. Panga (2020)

A Still From Panga

Director: Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari

Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Jassi Gill and Richa Chadda

First Weekend Collections:  INR 14.91 crore

Net Lifetime Collections: INR 28.92 crore

Box Office Verdict: Flop

11. Kyaa Kool Hain Hum 3 (2016)

A Still From Kyaa Kool Hain Hum 3

Director: Umesh Ghadge

Cast: Tusshar Kapoor, Aftab Shivdasani and Mandana Karimi

First Weekend Collections: INR 20.15 crore

Net Lifetime Collections: INR 30.25 crore

Box Office Verdict: Flop

10. Baby (2015)

A Still From Baby

Director: Neeraj Pandey

Cast: Akshay Kumar, Anupam Kher, Rana Daggubati, Taapsee Pannu, and Kay Kay Menon

First Weekend Collections: INR 36.07 crore

Net Lifetime Collections: INR 95.56 crore

Box Office Verdict: Hit

9. Street Dancer 3D (2020)

A Still From Street Dancer 3D

Director: Remo D'Souza

Cast: Varun Dhawan, Shraddha Kapoor, Prabhu Deva and Nora Fatehi

First Weekend Collections: INR 39 crore

Net Lifetime Collections: INR 68.28 crore

Box Office Verdict: Flop

8. Airlift (2016)

A Still From Airlift

Director: Raja Krishna Menon

Cast: Akshay Kumar and Nimrat Kaur

First Weekend Collections: INR 44.30 crore

Net Lifetime Collections: INR 128.1 crore

Box Office Verdict: Hit

7. Manikarnika – The Queen Of Jhansi (2019)

A Still From Manikarnika – The Queen Of Jhansi

Director: Krish Jagarlamudi and Kangana Ranaut

Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Jisshu Sengupta and Ankita Lokhande

First Weekend Collections: INR 41.35 crore

Net Lifetime Collections: INR 92.19 crore

Box Office Verdict: Average

6. Kaabil (2017)

A Still From Kaabil

Director: Sanjay Gupta

Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Yami Gautam, Ronit Roy and Rohit Roy

First Weekend Collections: INR 67.46 crore

Net Lifetime Collections: INR 103.84 crore

Box Office Verdict: Semi-hit

5. Sky Force (2025)

A Still From Sky Force

Director: Abhishek Anil Kapur and Sandeep Kewlani

Cast: Akshay Kumar, Veer Pahariya, Nimrat Kaur and Sara Ali Khan

First Weekend Collections: INR 73.20 crore

Net Lifetime Collections: N/A

Box Office Verdict: Pending

4. Raees (2017)

A Still From Raees

Director: Rahul Dholakia

Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Mahira Khan

First Weekend Collections: INR 93.24 core

Net Lifetime Collections: INR 137.51 crore

Box Office Verdict: Semi-Hit

3. Padmaavat (2018)

A Still From Padmaavat

Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali

Cast: Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor and Ranveer Singh

First Weekend Collections: INR 114 crore

Net Lifetime Collections: INR 302.15 crore

Box Office Verdict: Blockbuster

2. Fighter (2024)

Promotional Still of Fighter

Director: Siddharth Anand

Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Deepika Padukone and Anil Kapoor

First Weekend Collections: INR 115.30 crore

Net Lifetime Collections: INR 205.55 crore

Box Office Verdict: Average

1. Pathaan (2023)

A Still From Pathaan

Director: Siddharth Anand

Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, John Abraham, Deepika Padukone, Dimple Kapadia and Salman Khan

First Weekend Collections: INR 280.75 crore

Net Lifetime Collections: INR 543.05 crore

Box Office Verdict: Blockbuster

PS: The above collections are sourced from Bollywood Hungama. The years 2021 and 2022 didn't see any major Republic Day movie releases owing to COVID-19 impact.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 27, 2025 02:47 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).