‘Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari’: Varun Dhawan’s Rom-Com Eyes Rs 12.5 Cr Opening Despite Kantara Clash

Varun Dhawan and Janhvi Kapoor gear up for the release of ‘Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari’, a Dharma-backed romantic comedy facing competition from 'Kantara: Chapter 1'.

Varun Dhawan and Janhvi Kapoor team up for the Dharma-backed rom-com ‘Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari’, releasing this weekend.

Source : IMDb

Varun Dhawan is all set to return to the big screen with ‘Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari’, a light-hearted romantic comedy directed by Shashank Khaitan and co-starring Janhvi Kapoor. The film, produced under the Dharma Productions banner, is slated for release later this week and has begun modestly at the box office with its advance ticket sales.

By 11 PM on September 29, the film had sold approximately 9,200 tickets across major multiplex chains. PVR Inox contributed the lion’s share with about 7,500 admissions, while Cinepolis accounted for another 1,700. With two more days before its theatrical debut, industry watchers suggest the film could reach 50,000 tickets in advance sales by opening day.

Rom-Com Stakes High for Varun and Dharma

While the romantic comedy genre has historically fared well in Indian cinema, the post-pandemic box office landscape has seen a shift in audience preferences. This makes the performance of ‘Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari’ a crucial outing — both for Varun Dhawan, whose recent films have had mixed results, and Dharma Productions, which is looking to reinforce its reputation for family entertainers.

Trade estimates project a Day 1 collection between Rs 10.50 crore and Rs 12.50 crore, with the final number heavily dependent on walk-in audiences and early word-of-mouth traction. According to analysts, “evening and night shows are likely to see higher occupancy”, especially if early viewers respond positively.

Tough Box Office Face-Off With ‘Kantara: Chapter 1’

One major hurdle for the film’s success is the simultaneous release of ‘Kantara: Chapter 1’, a pan-India offering from Rishab Shetty that’s already showing stronger numbers in pre-release tracking. Despite this, trade experts remain cautiously optimistic.

“Romantic comedies have traditionally performed well if supported by positive word of mouth,” analysts noted, pointing to the genre’s potential to gain momentum over the weekend. A robust Saturday and Sunday could help ‘Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari’ narrow the gap with its competition.

All Eyes on Varun-Janhvi Pairing

With a vibrant ensemble cast including Sanya Malhotra, Rohit Saraf, and Maniesh Paul, the film aims to appeal to a wide family audience. But at its core, much of the buzz hinges on the chemistry between Dhawan and Kapoor. If their on-screen romance resonates, ‘Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari’ may well surprise the trade with a stronger-than-expected theatrical run.

As the countdown to release continues, all attention turns to Friday’s box office performance — a litmus test not just for the film, but for the fate of Bollywood’s romantic comedy revival.