Varun Dhawan is back with his father David Dhawan, and the duo’s latest entertainer Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai has hit the screens with a decent bang. The film, which also stars Mrunal Thakur and Pooja Hegde in leading roles, opened on June 6 to a mixed but promising response from the audience. According to industry tracker Sacnilk, the comedy-drama managed to pull in Rs 7.5 crore net on its opening day, with a gross domestic collection of Rs 9 crore. Worldwide, the film added another Rs 2 crore, taking the global total to Rs 11 crore.
The Opening Day Numbers Are Here
The film was screened across 9,081 shows on Day 1 and recorded an overall Hindi occupancy of 20.15%. The morning shows saw a sluggish start at just 9%, but things picked up steadily — noon shows hit 19.23%, evening shows climbed to 21.92%, and the night shows raked in a solid 30.46% occupancy. Delhi-NCR led the pack with the highest number of screenings at 1,054, but only managed a modest 15% occupancy. Mumbai fared slightly better with 579 shows and an overall occupancy of 23%.
While these numbers are not blockbuster-level, they still mark a strong opening for a mid-budget comedy. Insiders say the family audience — David Dhawan’s core fanbase — showed up in decent numbers, especially in the evening and night slots. The film’s festive release timing also worked in its favour, giving it an edge over the weekday slump.
How It Stacks Up Against Other 2026 Releases
With Rs 7.5 crore on Day 1, Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai has become the fifth-biggest Bollywood opener of 2026 so far. The list is topped by Dhurandhar 2 with a whopping Rs 145 crore, followed by Border 2 (Rs 32.1 crore), Bhoot Bangla (Rs 18.31 crore), and O’ Romeo (Rs 9.01 crore). Varun’s film managed to comfortably surpass several notable releases — it beat the Hindi dubbed version of Prabhas’ The Raja Saab (Rs 6 crore), Ayushmann Khurrana’s Ikkis (Rs 7.28 crore), and even Pati Patni Aur Woh Do (Rs 4.38 crore), Mardaani 3 (Rs 4 crore), and Happy Patel (Rs 1.25 crore).
Considering the competition it faced from both new releases and holdover hits, industry sources say the opening is a solid start. The film still has the weekend to prove its legs, and with positive word-of-mouth from family audiences, it might just pull off a respectable first-week run. Chal dekhte hain kya hota hai — but for now, Varun and David have reason to smile.
Varun Opens Up About His Father’s Legacy
The trailer launch of Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai turned into a heartfelt tribute to David Dhawan’s legacy. Varun, clearly emotional, shared his admiration for his father’s relentless spirit. “It is just amazing this man is actually making films at this age and at a time when we are constantly questioning cinema. Every Friday, we are wondering — yeh chalegi, woh chalegi. I would just tell you all, this is a David Dhawan film. It is made on his conviction,” he said at the event. He added, “If there is one motto in my family, it is to make people laugh. My father only wants to make people laugh.”
Fans have been loving the father-son reunion after hits like Judwaa 2 and Coolie No. 1. The film’s lighthearted vibe and signature Dhawan-style comedy seem to be striking a chord with audiences who grew up on his 90s classics. Yaar, family entertainers ka mazaa hi kuch aur hai — and David Dhawan still knows how to deliver that. With the weekend ahead, all eyes are on whether Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai can sustain its momentum and emerge as a clear winner.