Actor Rajkummar Rao and producer Dinesh Vijan, who previously made waves with the blockbuster success of Stree 2 the first Hindi film to join the Rs 600 crore club are now facing a tough time with their latest romantic comedy, Bhool Chuk Maaf.
While Stree 2 benefitted from the popularity of its franchise, Bhool Chuk Maaf has been struggling to maintain its momentum at the box office, especially following a significant dip in its collections after the opening weekend.
Box Office Performance: A Drastic Fall
The film, directed by debutant Karan Sharma, had a relatively decent start, earning Rs 7 crore on its opening day, with a slight increase to Rs 9.5 crore on Saturday and Rs 11.5 crore on Sunday. However, the first Monday numbers painted a much bleaker picture. Bhool Chuk Maaf earned just Rs 4.75 crore on Monday, marking a steep decline of more than 50% from Sunday’s earnings.
As of now, the movie’s total domestic box office collection stands at Rs 32.75 crore a far cry from the opening day earnings of Stree 2, which grossed Rs 51 crore.
The significant drop in earnings after the weekend points to the film’s inability to maintain its momentum. The crucial Monday test, which often determines a film’s sustainability in cinemas, was not passed, especially since the movie earned less than its opening day.
Occupancy and Regional Performance
Despite the overall fall in collections, Bhool Chuk Maaf did have some positive regional performances. The film registered the highest occupancy in Chennai (55.67%), followed by Jaipur (18.50%) and the National Capital Region (16.75%). Mumbai and Lucknow also saw decent showings, with occupancy rates of 15% and 15.75%, respectively.
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Interestingly, the movie saw its maximum audience in the night shows (18.51%), followed by evening and afternoon shows, while morning shows accounted for only 5.99% of the overall footfall.
In comparison to other films released this year, Bhool Chuk Maaf fared slightly better than some, including Ground Zero (Rs 7.74 crore) and Phule (Rs 6.58 crore). However, its overall box office performance has yet to match the success of Stree 2, which had a much stronger opening and sustained a steady run for weeks.
Digital Release Amidst National Concerns
Earlier this month, Bhool Chuk Maaf was supposed to have a theatrical release on May 9. However, due to national security concerns following Operation Sindoor, the movie’s release was pushed to a digital premiere on Prime Video India on May 16.
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This decision sparked controversy, with multiplex chain PVRINOX even challenging the move in court. Despite the shift to digital, the film continues to face mixed reactions, both online and in theaters, as it tries to carve out its niche in the competitive romantic comedy genre.
With its unpredictable box office run and the ongoing debate about its digital release, Bhool Chuk Maaf remains a film with much to prove in the days ahead.
