New Delhi: ‘Shehzada’, starring Kartik Aaryan and Kriti Sanon, premiered in theatres on February 17. The first day's earnings are in, and the mass entertainer has done well. Kartik's last film, ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2’, was a box office smash, and this one is expected to do similarly well.
Shehzada's first-day earnings were reported as Rs 7 crore by business monitor Sacnilk (early estimates). As compared to Kartik's previous release, ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2’, this figure is almost half as good.
With Rs 7 crore under its belt, ‘Shehzada’ is holding its own against Marvel's Ant-Man and the Wasp. On its opening day, the movie was also up against Shah Rukh Khan's ‘Pathaan’, which had already been playing in cinemas for almost three weeks.
The movie was originally scheduled to be released on February 10, but it was moved back to the 17th, which may be the explanation for the low number of tickets sold on its opening day.
The weekend and the Maha Shivratri holiday could boost the film's earnings at the box office on Day 2.
Trade analyst Taran Adarsh shared the movie’s collection in national chains.
As per our in-house review: "Shehzada' fits in perfectly with the kind of movies, which are the trend lately in Bollywood as it attempts to regain its box office dominance. If you miss watching Govinda on the big screen back in the '90s era, Kartik Aaryan's film won't likely let you down. The rest, who are actually seeking a forward-thinking family entertainer, may have to wait a little longer."
Meanwhile, Shehzada's OTT rights were reportedly purchased by Netflix for a hefty Rs 40 crore. The film's international distribution rights have also been sold for Rs 5 crore.
Directed by Rohit Dhawan, 'Shehzada' is the remake of Allu Arjun and Pooja Hegde starrer Telugu film 'Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo' which was released in 2020 and became a huge hit.