Brad Pitt’s racing drama F1 is roaring ahead at the box office, showing no signs of slowing down in India or abroad. Since its release on June 27, the film has collected ₹32 crore across India in six days, despite stiff competition from local releases like Maa and Kannappa.
Trade platform Sacnilk reports the film opened to ₹5.5 crore on Day 1 in India, followed by ₹7.75 crore and ₹8.15 crore on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. While Monday saw a dip to ₹3.35 crore, collections rebounded slightly on Tuesday and Wednesday with ₹3.75 crore and ₹3.5 crore.
F1 has performed especially well in metropolitan markets. Chennai led with 32.33% occupancy for English shows on July 2, followed by Hyderabad at 25.25%. Nationally, the film saw 27.06% occupancy for night shows and 21.99% in the evening. Morning shows began slow with 8.64%, but improved to 17.10% by the afternoon.
The global performance has been equally impressive. The film surpassed $140 million worldwide in its opening weekend and has now grossed over $160 million globally. In the UAE, where F1 premiered at the Yas Marina Circuit, it registered a $2.7 million opening — the largest regional debut for a Brad Pitt film and an Apple-backed title.
Directed by Joseph Kosinski, F1 stars Brad Pitt as retired Formula One driver Sonny Hayes, who returns to the circuit to mentor rising star Joshua Pearce, played by Damson Idris. Produced by Apple Studios in collaboration with Jerry Bruckheimer Films, Plan B Entertainment, and others, the film also features Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem, and Tobias Menzies.
Apple’s biggest theatrical debut
While the production budget exceeds $200 million, the film has already become Apple’s biggest theatrical debut to date. It opened with $55.6 million in North America alone — a breakthrough for Apple Original Films after prior theatrical underperformers like Napoleon and Fly Me to the Moon.
Having secured distribution through Warner Bros., Apple’s foray into blockbuster territory with F1 appears to be gaining traction, both in terms of box office numbers and critical momentum. The film still has ground to cover before turning a profit, but for now, it’s racing ahead at full throttle.
