“It’s a soft start,” seems to be the prevailing sentiment as De De Pyaar De 2 (starring Ajay Devgn, Rakul Preet Singh, and R. Madhavan) kicked off its theatrical run with a ₹8.50 crore box office collection on its first day.
A Sequel That Didn’t Soar: Comparing With the First Film
- The original De De Pyaar De opened at ₹10.41 crore, making this sequel’s Day 1 performance noticeably weaker.
- Industry tracker Sacnilk had initially estimated the first-day collection to be around ₹7–8 cr, but final reports put it slightly higher.
- Early evening estimates, as of 8 PM, suggested a collection of ₹5.17 cr, implying that a significant portion of the day’s business came in the later shows.
Footfalls Remain Tepid
- Morning shows saw occupancy as low as 7.46%, according to data shared by Sacnilk.
- By evening, occupancy rose to 12.80%, but even then, the film was struggling to reach strong box office numbers.
- One trade report called the opening “modest,” suggesting that while audiences came out, they did so in limited numbers.
Why Didn’t the Sequel Click Right Away?
There are a few possible reasons:
- Nostalgia vs novelty: The charm of the first film may not have fully translated into this sequel, especially with a changed dynamic — Tabu is not part of this installment, and her absence might affect audience expectations.
- Mixed reviews: Some early responses hint the sequel is “off to a positive start,” but not with unanimous praise.
- Competition and audience mood: As a romantic comedy, its box office potential may heavily depend on word-of-mouth, and the film needs a strong weekend to build momentum.
What’s Next: Will It Recover?
- Trade analysts believe De De Pyaar De 2 might pick up over the weekend, especially if word-of-mouth turns favorable.
- The film’s future box office trajectory will likely depend on how well it resonates with family audiences and whether the sequel’s emotional stakes (Ajay Devgn’s character navigating family acceptance) strike a chord.
Overall, De De Pyaar De 2 has made a decent but underwhelming entry at the box office. The first-day numbers are not disastrous, but they don’t match the punch of the original either. If the buzz strengthens in the next couple of days, it might recover — but for now, the sequel is off to a cautious start.
If you like, I can also compare its Day 1 to other recent Bollywood releases or project its first weekend earnings — do you want me to do that?
