Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai continued its theatrical run by collecting an estimated Rs. 80 lakh on its second Thursday, which marked Day 14 of release. With this, the film completed its second week with earnings of around Rs. 11 crore nett. Combined with its first week collection of Rs. 36 crore, the movie’s total box office earnings have reached Rs. 47 crore nett in India.
Directed by David Dhawan, the romantic comedy stars Varun Dhawan, Mrunal Thakur, and Pooja Hegde in lead roles. While the film managed a decent start during its opening week, its collections have slowed considerably in the second week. Based on its current performance, trade estimates suggest that the movie could end its theatrical run at around Rs. 50 crore nett.
If that projection holds, the film will finish below the lifetime collection of Varun Dhawan’s previous release, Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari. As a result, Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai is likely to be viewed as an underperformer compared to expectations.
The film’s performance also reflects a broader trend currently affecting the industry. Romantic comedies and mid budget films have found it increasingly difficult to attract large audiences to theatres in the years following the pandemic. Many industry observers believe that changing viewing habits have played a significant role in this shift.
One factor often discussed is the growing influence of streaming platforms. With many films arriving on digital services within a relatively short period after their theatrical release, some viewers prefer to wait and watch from home instead of visiting cinemas. This has particularly affected genres such as romantic comedies, which traditionally rely on steady audience turnout rather than large opening weekends.
Some industry experts argue that extending the gap between theatrical and streaming releases could help improve cinema attendance. A longer waiting period may encourage more viewers to watch films in theatres instead of postponing their viewing until the digital release becomes available.
The day wise box office collections for the film’s second week are as follows:
Day 8: Rs. 1.85 crore
Day 9: Rs. 2.35 crore
Day 10: Rs. 2.75 crore
Day 11: Rs. 1.10 crore
Day 12: Rs. 1.20 crore
Day 13: Rs. 0.95 crore
Day 14: Rs. 0.80 crore (estimated)
Second Week Total: Rs. 11 crore
Overall Total: Rs. 47 crore nett
With the film now entering the final phase of its theatrical run, all eyes will be on whether it can add a few more crores to its total and finish close to the Rs. 50 crore mark before making its eventual transition to digital platforms.