Usually, when sequels to hit films arrive in cinemas, they open bigger and - if they’re even moderately entertaining - often end up outperforming the original. Look at the Bhool Bhulaiyaa franchise, for example. However, that's not always the case with every sequel. Simply observe how Ajay Devgn’s own sequels have performed this year. Ajay Devgn Wishes His ‘Strongest Critic, Softest Corner’ Yug on 15th Birthday.

The three-time National Award winner released three sequels in 2025 (out of four films, with Azaad being the standalone title): Raid 2, Son of Sardaar 2, and the most recent, De De Pyaar De 2. Yet the opening weekend numbers of these films tell three completely different stories.

Raid 2 outperformed the original Raid (2018), delivering a bigger opening and a stronger lifetime collection. That wasn’t the case for his other two sequels, though De De Pyaar De 2 came extremely close to matching the first film’s opening weekend.

Before comparing them, let’s talk about De De Pyaar De 2.

'De De Pyaar De 2' – First Weekend Collections

Released on November 14, De De Pyaar De 2 is the sequel to the 2019 semi-hit De De Pyaar De, which starred Ajay Devgn and Rakul Preet Singh. Both return for the second instalment along with Jaaved Jaaferi, while the new cast includes R Madhavan, Gautami Kapoor, Meezaan Jafri, and Ishita Dutta. The film is directed by Anshul Sharma and co-written and co-produced by Luv Ranjan.

Watch the Trailer of 'De De Pyaar De 2':

The romcom opened to mixed reviews and had a modest Day 1 for a star-led sequel. However, it grew decently over the weekend, collecting INR 38.43 crore in India. This is only a shade lower than the first film, which earned INR 38.54 crore in its opening weekend (including paid previews). ‘De De Pyaar De 2’ Movie Review: R Madhavan Outshines Ajay Devgn (Again) in This Funny but Flimsy Romcom Sequel.

Worldwide, DDPD2 stands at INR 52 crore gross. With a reported budget of INR 100 crore, it still has some distance to cover before it can be termed a hit.

How Ajay Devgn’s Other 2025 Sequels Performed

'Raid' (2018) vs 'Raid 2' (2025)

- Raid (2018) opened with INR 41.01 crore and ended with INR 103.07 crore in India, a clean hit.

- Raid 2 (released May 1, 2025) opened significantly bigger at INR 73.83 crore and finished with INR 178.08 crore in India - one of Bollywood’s few true hits of the year.

'Son of Sardaar' (2012) vs 'Son of Sardaar 2' (2025)

- Son of Sardaar (2012), released on a Tuesday and benefitting from an extended weekend, collected INR 66.02 crore in its first weekend and finished at INR 105.03 crore in India.

- Son of Sardaar 2 (released August 1, 2025) collected only INR 24.75 crore in its opening weekend. Even if we ignore the extended weekend advantage of the first, the sequel’s total India collection - INR 43.24 crore - was dramatically lower than the opening weekend of the original. It was declared a flop.

Ajay Devgn’s 2025 box office graph proves that sequels might be a safer bet on paper - but on the big screen, each film has its own fate.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 17, 2025 05:50 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).