Varun Dhawan’s latest comedy entertainer, Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai, arrived in theatres on June 5 with high expectations. Directed by veteran filmmaker David Dhawan, the film brings together Varun Dhawan, Pooja Hegde, and Mrunal Thakur in leading roles. While the movie managed to attract audiences during its opening weekend, its box office performance has slowed down considerably during the weekdays. After completing its first week in theatres, the film is yet to cross the ₹40 crore mark, raising questions about its long term performance.
According to trade website Sacnilk, Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai collected an estimated ₹2.19 crore on Thursday. This takes the film’s total domestic net collection to ₹36.34 crore after seven days. The movie opened with a collection of ₹7.50 crore on its first day and maintained the same figure on Saturday. Sunday turned out to be its strongest day as the film earned around ₹9 crore, giving the makers hope for a successful run.
However, as expected, collections dropped once the weekend ended. The film earned ₹3.50 crore on Monday and showed a slight improvement on Tuesday with collections of ₹3.85 crore. But the momentum did not last long, as Wednesday’s earnings dropped to ₹2.80 crore. Thursday saw another decline, indicating that the film is finding it difficult to maintain strong audience interest during the weekdays.
When compared to Varun Dhawan’s recent releases, Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai has performed better than Baby John, which earned ₹32.65 crore in its first week. However, it has fallen short of Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari, which collected ₹38.85 crore during the same period. The film is also facing stiff competition from other releases currently running in theatres, including Peddi and Bandar, which are fighting for audience attention and screen space.
The comedy revolves around Jass, played by Varun Dhawan, whose marriage with Bani, played by Mrunal Thakur, falls apart due to personal differences. Hoping to move forward, Jass begins a new relationship with Preet, played by Pooja Hegde. The situation takes a dramatic and hilarious turn when both women become pregnant, and Jass finds himself at the center of complete chaos. The unusual storyline forms the foundation of the film’s comedy and family drama.
Apart from the lead trio, the movie also features Mouni Roy, Rakesh Bedi, Rajesh Kumar, Maniesh Paul, and several other actors in important roles. Produced by Ramesh Taurani under Tips Films, the film has gained additional attention because it is being widely described as David Dhawan’s final directorial venture.
Reacting to the reports, filmmaker Karan Johar shared an emotional message praising David Dhawan’s contribution to Bollywood. He described him as a filmmaker who created an entire genre of entertainment and inspired generations of directors. Karan also expressed his admiration and respect for David Dhawan, calling him a beloved figure in the film industry and wishing him success for what could be his final film as a director.