In the highly anticipated battle of Bollywood versus Hollywood, "Fighter," the Indian version of "Top Gun: Maverick," has encountered some turbulence on Rotten Tomatoes. Led by acclaimed actors Hrithik Roshan, Deepika Padukone, and Anil Kapoor, the film follows a team of Indian fighter pilots as they unite to form an elite squadron, aiming to safeguard India from any potential threats.

Released in Hindi on January 25, "Fighter" bears striking similarities to its Hollywood counterpart, but the critical reception on Rotten Tomatoes has been vastly different. Currently, the film has garnered a disappointing score of 31% on the Tomatometer, earning it a "Rotten" status. In contrast, "Top Gun: Maverick" soared with an impressive Tomatometer score of 96%, showcasing the critical acclaim it received for its cast and characters.

While critics have been less than enthusiastic about "Fighter," audiences have shown more appreciation, giving the film an impressive audience score of 95%. This high rating puts it in competition with "Top Gun: Maverick," which boasts a stellar 99% audience score. However, it is important to note that "Fighter" has received fewer than 50 verified rankings, making its final audience score uncertain.

Despite the polarizing reviews, "Fighter" still holds potential for profitability and a sequel. The film's unique storyline, akin to the original "Top Gun" released in 1986, makes the Rotten Tomatoes scores more forgivable. Compared to its predecessor, the original "Top Gun" only managed a Tomatometer score of 57% from critics, while audiences gave it a respectable score of 83%. Therefore, even if "Fighter" loses some audience respect over time, it is likely to remain competitive with the predecessor of "Maverick."

In terms of box office performance, "Top Gun: Maverick" has been a blockbuster success, raking in nearly $1.5 billion. On the other hand, "Fighter" is still striving to achieve the significant milestone of crossing 100 crore at the Indian box office. Each crore roughly equates to $130,000.

As the fate of "Fighter" at the box office remains uncertain, its potential profitability and the possibility of a sequel still hang in the balance. A sequel to "Fighter" could provide fair competition to "Top Gun: Maverick," without the lengthy wait of 36 years that Tom Cruise's franchise endured. Additionally, it could offer valuable insights on how the franchise can continue to captivate audiences and compete with the upcoming "Top Gun 3," whose ideal storyline has already been hinted at in "Maverick."

In closing, while "Fighter" may have faced a bumpy start on Rotten Tomatoes, the film's potential for profitability, as well as its ability to contend with its Hollywood counterpart, points to an exciting future for Indian cinema and its potential to stand toe-to-toe with global blockbusters.