Predictions in this column held that Rakshabandhan will usher in incredible merriment in the box office, recording the most impressive day since Sooryavanshi’s release for Bollywood movies. Although not expecting the individual performance of Laal Singh Chaddha and Raksha Bandhan to be especially strong, it was forecast that the combined earnings of the two would be a guaranteed 30 crores. Audiences have clearly proven that they are willing to enter theatres when the films are engaging enough, and the upcoming titles from Aamir Khan and Akshay Kumar seem to meet the criteria. Thus, expectations are high and anticipation even greater.
Regrettably, the results have not been in accordance with expectations since the total revenue from the two films combined is only a little above Rs. 20 crores. This falls considerably short of the Rs. 30 crores benchmark that was intended to be reached on Thursday. It serves as a testament to the odd times we live in, as viewers seem reluctant to depart from the safety of their homes to come to the theatres.
Laal Singh Chaddha, though just managing to break into double digits, garnered Rs. 12 crores on its opening day. Despite its efforts to attract the audiences, the bare minimum expectation was Rs. 15 crores, a mark that Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 starring Kartik Aaryan and Anees Bazmee still holds as the highest opening day collection for a Bollywood movie released in 2022. Despite Akshay Kumar’s dedication to the film and an intense promotion and marketing campaign, it sadly only made a total of Rs. 8.20 crores, a result that falls far short of what the film deserved.
One can only wish that things turn around between Saturday and Monday, which is the prime time period for these films to captivate audiences and entice them to return to cinemas. After all, this is an urgent need for Bollywood!
Note: All collections as per production and distribution sources
