Dhamaal 4 has started its theatrical run on a slow note at the Indian box office. On its opening day, the film recorded around 10 per cent occupancy during the morning shows. This is lower than the opening of the previous film in the franchise, Total Dhamaal, which began its journey in 2019 with nearly 25 per cent morning occupancy. The latest numbers suggest that Dhamaal 4 will need strong support during the afternoon and evening shows to improve its first day performance.
The film is also the fourth major release in a row to witness a slow start in the morning. Recent releases have shown similar occupancy levels during their opening shows. Welcome to the Jungle had also opened on a modest note, although it had preview shows the previous evening that recorded around 25 per cent occupancy. As a result, its overall opening day looked stronger than its morning figures alone.
Before the pandemic, a 10 per cent opening would generally have been considered weak for a major commercial release. In recent years, however, strong openings have become less common, with many films depending on positive word of mouth to attract audiences later in the day and over the weekend. One of the recent exceptions was Dhurandhar: The Revenge, which managed a better opening. Before that, Border 2 had also recorded a comparatively stronger start, although its opening was only slightly better. Even the first Dhurandhar picked up momentum mainly during its evening shows rather than in the morning. Among recent releases, Saiyaara is considered one of the few films to have opened on a clearly strong note.
Based on its morning occupancy, Dhamaal 4 is expected to collect around Rs. 12 to 15 crore nett on its opening day. The final figure will depend on how much the film grows during the afternoon and evening shows. A collection closer to Rs. 15 crore nett would be considered a decent result, but the film’s long term success will depend on audience response in the coming days. For comparison, Bhooth Bangla opened with Rs. 12 crore nett on its first day and went on to earn Rs. 170 crore nett, while Welcome to the Jungle opened at Rs. 15 crore nett but is expected to finish its run below Rs. 140 crore nett.
Meanwhile, holdover releases Alpha and Welcome to the Jungle have also reported a noticeable drop in their morning collections compared to the previous day. Although both films may see some improvement during the evening, their overall business has slowed considerably. The new Hollywood release Evil Dead Burn has also registered a quiet opening across most regions. However, the film has performed comparatively better in Tamil Nadu, where horror films usually attract stronger audience interest. The previous film in the franchise, Evil Dead Rise, collected around Rs. 39 crore in India during its theatrical run.