Director Shashank Khaitan’s long-awaited family entertainer, Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari, starring Varun Dhawan and Janhvi Kapoor, opened cold at the box office with around Rs 9.25 crore nett on the first day in India. The film’s release on October 2 was overshadowed by the torrential success of Kantara Chapter 1, which had taken the box office by storm with a whopping Rs 60 crore nett on its opening day.
Although it had garnered expectations from its star cast and family-oriented appeal, Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari could not keep pace with its rivals’ figures. The movie recorded a total of 32.45% occupancy on the first day and was boosted by the evening shows. The regional performance exhibited a curious mix, with Chennai leading the way at 58% occupancy, followed by Bengaluru at 51.33% and Kolkata at 45.67%. The cities of Surat, Bhopal, and Ahmedabad, however, witnessed comparatively low turnout.
Box office performance of the movie is experiencing cutthroat competition, particularly from Kantara Chapter 1, which has taken immense attention across India. Nevertheless, Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari experienced greater interaction in regions like Mumbai, NCR, and Hyderabad. Surprisingly, despite having fewer shows, Chennai proved to be a close runner in terms of viewer interest, which indicates that the movie might have an improved opportunity in some areas as it keeps moving forward.
The movie has drawn praise for its clever dialogue and throwbacks to classic Bollywood moments. India Today’s review praised its strength in dialogue presentation, with lighthearted references to classic Bollywood moments such as SRK’s Chak De monologue and a cheeky nod to Mr. India’s ‘Kaante Nahin Katte’ line. Nonetheless, the review noted that although the first half of the movie sets things up well, the climax suffers from a rushed and illogical conclusion that dampens the momentum.
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Directed by Dharma Productions, Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari combines high-gloss visuals with romantic-comedy, and an ensemble cast plays the lead roles of Sanya Malhotra and Rohit Saraf. Its box office fate will depend on if it manages to sustain against the enormous success of Kantara Chapter 1 and gain more footfalls in the next few days. Yet, with its ensemble of comedy and Bollywood nostalgia, the film may still find its audience as the week goes by.
