Shah Rukh Khan’s highly-anticipated film ‘Dunki’ hit theaters today, but failed to match the incredible openings of his previous 2023 blockbusters ‘Pathaan’ and ‘Jawan’.
Directed by Rajkumar Hirani, Dunki was expected to post big numbers on its first day, but middling reviews and tough competition seem to have hampered its box office prospects.
According to early estimates by industry tracker Sacnilk, Dunki has collected an underwhelming Rs. 30 crores net domestically. In comparison, SRK’s ‘Jawan’ had smashed opening day records with Rs. 75 crores, while ‘Pathaan’ rode high on unprecedented hype to earn over Rs. 50 crores. Dunki’s day one numbers are dwarfed even by non-SRK films like Adipurush (Rs. 36 crores) and Animal (Rs. 35 crores).
Analysts attribute Dunki’s dull start to average word-of-mouth and the release of the much-awaited Prabhas-starrer ‘Salaar’ today. Salazar is projected to open at around Rs. 60 crores domestically, posing stiff competition to Dunki. The salt-and-pepper drama has received mixed reactions so far, with critics labeling it as sincere but lacking the magic of Hirani and SRK’s previous collaborations.
As the lucrative Christmas weekend kicks in, Dunki will be looking to stabilize its collections and leverage SRK’s enduring star power. But a lot depends on how Salaar fares and if Dunki manages to find appreciation over the weekend. The film will need strong word-of-mouth to emerge as a hit. For now, it seems unlikely that it will reach the blockbuster levels of Pathaan and Jawan.
