Chainsaw Man Has Modest Indian Debut Amid Demon Slayer Craze

Chainsaw Man: The Movie – Reze Arc made its debut across Indian theatres with a moderate opening of INR 1.24 crore in the first two days, driven largely by Japanese language shows and dedicated franchise fans. While the release signals incremental growth for anime box office prospects in India, the turnout is far lower than anime’s current blockbuster, Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, which netted over INR 66 crore and quickly became one of the highest-earning foreign films in 2025. The contrast underlines Demon Slayer’s breakout appeal and Chainsaw Man’s quieter, more fan-focused entry in a market increasingly receptive to theatrical anime.

Chainsaw Man’s Performance and the Indian Anime Landscape

Chainsaw Man: Reze Arc’s opening weekend box office of INR 1.24 crore highlights a pattern seen in recent anime releases: enthusiasm from a core segment but limited crossover to mainstream audiences. The film saw a clear preference for Japanese screenings over Hindi, with occupancy for afternoon and evening shows edging up to 21% and 23%, respectively, against single digits for dubbed versions. 

In sharp contrast, Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle raced past INR 66 crore in its Indian run, outperforming longstanding anime benchmarks like Suzume and Jujutsu Kaisen and earning a spot alongside top international blockbusters for the year. The film benefitted from multi-language releases, stronger mainstream awareness, and comprehensive marketing, boosting footfalls well beyond the core anime base. Occupancy rates and earnings remained robust across cities and formats, positioning Demon Slayer as an anime event rather than a niche release.

Chainsaw Man’s more subdued commercial impact highlights the current limitations faced by even high-profile titles within India’s evolving anime space. While the franchise’s global success and cult status give it cachet, local box office data suggest that only the biggest IPs are reaching mainstream heights, while others pave the way for incremental growth. The market trajectory indicates strong potential: as Indian audiences embrace more genres and deeper localization, both blockbuster and niche anime releases are likely to see future gains, resulting in a more diverse and vibrant anime box office environment over time.