‘Dunki’, the highly anticipated film starring Shah Rukh Khan and directed by Rajkumar Hirani, had its theatrical release on December 22nd. The film has received a mixed response commercially in its opening weekend.
Decent Opening Despite Clashes
‘Dunki’ collected around ₹12 crores nett on its opening day in India. This is one of the lower opening day numbers for a Shah Rukh Khan film.
The film clashed with the release of Yash starrer ‘Salaar’ which impacted its performance in the mass circuits. However, the opening is decent considering it is a non-holiday release.
As per trade estimates, the film showed growth on its second day by collecting ₹15 crore nett. The total domestic collection after 2 days stands at ₹27.5 crore nett.
Overseas, the film opened to a good response by collecting $1.90 million on its first day. After 2 days, the estimated overseas total stands at $3.5 million.
The global collection of ‘Dunki’ after 2 days is estimated to be around ₹50 crore.
| Territory | First Day Collection |
|---|---|
| India Nett | ₹12 crore |
| Overseas Gross | $1.9 million |
| Worldwide Total | ₹22+ crore |
Mixed Word-of-Mouth Impacting Collections
Despite the casting coup of Shah Rukh Khan collaborating with Rajkumar Hirani, the film has received mixed reviews from critics and audiences.
The light-hearted approach to a serious issue like illegal immigration has not clicked with a section of moviegoers. As per initial trends, the word-of-mouth for the film is average which will impact its trending over the weekdays.
Trade analysts predict that ‘Dunki’ will struggle to maintain strong collections on weekdays due to the mixed response. The lifetime domestic collection of the film is expected to be around ₹130-140 crore nett.
Hirani-SRK Combo Fails to Recreate Magic
There were sky-high expectations from the collaboration of Rajkumar Hirani and Shah Rukh Khan who have delivered some of Hindi cinema’s most iconic films.
However, ‘Dunki’ has failed to reach the creative heights and evoke the emotional response that the duo’s previous films have managed effortlessly.
Critics have pointed out the lack of memorable moments and superficial treatment of the complex subject of illegal immigration. Many have called it Hirani’s weakest film.
Nevertheless, Shah Rukh Khan has been widely praised for his restrained and effective performance. But that may not be enough for neutralizing the shortcomings of the film’s writing.
Way Forward for ‘Dunki’
The upcoming holiday period will be crucial for ‘Dunki’ to stabilize its collections at the box office. Strong word-of-mouth and repeat value needs to be created for the film.
As per trade estimates, the breakeven point for ‘Dunki’ is around ₹190 crore. The film should manage to recover its budget, but may fall short of being a blockbuster.
‘Dunki’ marks Shah Rukh Khan’s return as a leading hero after 4 years. Despite the mixed response, the superstar can be expected to make a strong comeback in 2023 with back-to-back releases lined up.
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