Weekend Kickoff Was Decent Enough
Varun Dhawan, Pooja Hegde, and Mrunal Thakur’s latest rom-com Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai started its theatrical run with okay-ish numbers. The David Dhawan-directed film collected Rs 7.50 crore on its opening day, followed by Rs 7.25 crore on Saturday. Sunday saw a slight uptick, adding Rs 9 crore to the kitty. By the end of its first weekend, the movie had already crossed Rs 37 crore worldwide — not bad for a film that got mixed reviews from both critics and audiences.
Trade insiders were cautiously optimistic, noting that the film’s lighthearted vibe and star power helped it hold steady despite tough competition. The weekend total gave the team some breathing room, but everyone knew the real test would come on Monday.
Monday Crash: A 61% Plummet
As expected, the first Monday brought a reality check. Early estimates from industry trackers show that Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai collected just Rs 3.50 crore on Day 4 from about 7,800 shows — a massive 61% drop compared to Sunday. With four days in theatres, the film’s domestic net stands at Rs 27.50 crore, while gross earnings in India are around Rs 32.93 crore. Overseas contributions added another Rs 1 crore on Monday, taking the international total to Rs 9.50 crore.
The worldwide gross now sits at Rs 42.43 crore. While the Monday dip is sharp, it’s not entirely unexpected for a mid-range romantic comedy. The film’s performance over the next few weekdays will be crucial — if word of mouth picks up, it could still recover some ground.
Facing Tough Competitors but Still in the Game
At the box office, Varun’s film is going head-to-head with Bobby Deol’s Bandar, Ram Charan’s Peddi, and the Hollywood release He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. Despite the crowded field, Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai has managed to hold better than many recent comedies. The film also features Jimmy Shergill, Mouni Roy, Maniesh Paul, Kubbra Sait, Manoj Pahwa, Rakesh Bedi, Chunky Pandey, and Ali Asgar in supporting roles.
Since no major Bollywood releases are hitting screens in the immediate future, this David Dhawan directorial still has a decent window to build momentum — provided audiences connect with its easygoing, family-friendly charm. All eyes are now on Tuesday and Wednesday numbers to see if the film can stabilize or if this Monday crash spells trouble ahead.