Dil Dhadakne Do opens with Rs 10.5 crore

Movie opens to mixed reviews as critics praise it for its visual execution, and pan it for loopholes in screenplay and script

Zoya Akhtar’s family drama Dil Dhadakne Do (DDD) has opened its innings at the box office with a collection of Rs 10.5 crore. This makes it the biggest opener of the year since Akshay Kumar starrer Gabbar is Back, which collected Rs 13 crore on its opening day.

The film, which boasts of an ensemble cast that includes Anil Kapoor, Shefali Shah, Priyanka Chopra, Ranveer Singh, Anushka Sharma, Farhan Akhtar, Rahul Bose and Aamir Khan (in a voiceover cameo), is Zoya’s third film as a director after Luck By Chance and Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara. The film has been made at a cost of Rs  90 crore and was released in 2300 screens across India.

DDD opened to mixed reviews with critics praising the movie for its visual execution, and panning it for loopholes in the screenplay.  Kapoor, Shah and Singh have all put in strong performances. However, the movie’s length (170 minutes) maybe a deterrent in the commercial success of the film, feel analysts.

“Like her earlier films, Zoya’s DDD, this film is not for single screen audiences. More important, even in the multiplexes, the film will attract audiences in the upper circuit properties in the metros. Through the length of the film makes it a bit of a drag,” says Shaaminder Malik, an independent exhibitor and trade analyst.

Suniel Wadhwa, independent distributor and box office analyst agrees, “DDD had a decent first day on the strength of metro multiplexes as it grossed around Rs 10 crore at the box office. The business was dominated by metros such as  Mumbai and Delhi. Bengaluru did well but other major cities such as Ahmedabad, Jaipur and Hyderabad did not perform.”

DDD was one of the most anticipated movies of the year and analysts believe that it will have a decent weekend. However, after the success of films such as Piku and Tanu Weds Manu Returns, the commercial returns on a movie like DDD, which does not enjoy a mass appeal maybe in doubt. “The ticket prices have been increased by around Rs 25 to 30 on an average. This is what may have contributed to the high collection too. Occupancy wise, the movie recorded 25 to 30 per cent, as against Tanu Weds Manu Returns‘s 60 per cent in its third week,” adds Malik.

Given the buzz around the movie, DDD should end the weekend with collections between Rs 28 and Rs 32 crore in India. It is expected to do well internationally considering its urbane look and suave visuals. The movie needs to make Rs 200 crore (net after tax) in order to break-even and make profits.