Varun Dhawan and Janhvi Kapoor’s romantic comedy “Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari” is facing an uphill battle at the box office, collecting just ₹9 crore in its second weekend. The Dharma Productions film stands at ₹49.25 crore nett after ten days, set to cross the ₹50 crore milestone on Monday—a modest figure for a film with this star power.
Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari: Box Office Performance Breakdown
| Metric | Details |
|---|---|
| Opening Weekend | ₹40.25 crore (8 days) |
| 2nd Friday | ₹2.25 crore |
| 2nd Saturday | ₹3.35 crore |
| 2nd Sunday (Est.) | ₹3.30-3.50 crore |
| Total (10 days) | ₹49.25 crore nett |
| Weekend Drop | 60% (Week 2 vs Week 1) |
| Production House | Dharma Productions |
| Lead Cast | Varun Dhawan, Janhvi Kapoor |
| Director | Shashank Khaitan |
Day-Wise Collection Analysis
| Period | Net Collection |
|---|---|
| Week One (8 days) | ₹40.25 crore |
| 2nd Friday | ₹2.25 crore |
| 2nd Saturday | ₹3.35 crore |
| 2nd Sunday | ₹3.30-3.50 crore |
| Total | ₹49.25 crore |
Why the Film Underperformed
The film’s limited growth on its second Sunday, despite targeting metropolitan audiences, raised concerns among trade analysts. The bigger issue was the weak Saturday jump. From a ₹2.25 crore Friday, industry experts expected a ₹10+ crore weekend, but the film managed only ₹9 crore.
The probable culprit? Friday’s inflated numbers came from BOGO (Buy One Get One) offers that weren’t available over the weekend, artificially boosting the weekday figure while revealing weaker organic demand.
A 60% drop from the first weekend to the second isn’t catastrophic, but when starting from already low collection levels, it signals trouble. The film will cross ₹50 crore on its second Monday—a figure that once seemed unlikely but remains underwhelming for a Dharma Productions rom-com starring two popular actors.
The Mid-Budget Crisis
“Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari” exemplifies the struggle facing mid-budget genre films in the post-pandemic era. What drove box office success in the previous decade now finds no takers at theaters. The primary villain? Digital streaming platforms eroding the theatrical base.
Even critically acclaimed mid-budget films that receive good appreciation aren’t scoring as high as they would have historically. This year’s “Jolly LLB 3” and “Sitaare Zameen Par” serve as prime examples of this troubling trend.
The Streaming Window Problem
Currently, an eight-week theatrical window exists before films release on OTT platforms. However, audiences have proven more than willing to wait it out, knowing their favorite movies will soon stream at home for a fraction of the ticket price.
Industry insiders argue the solution requires elongating this window to approximately six months, making the wait inconvenient enough to drive theatrical footfalls. Without such intervention, mid-scale and genre films will continue struggling to justify theatrical releases.
For more Bollywood box office updates and entertainment news, visit TechnoSports.
What This Means for Varun and Janhvi
While “Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari” won’t be remembered as a success, it’s not a career-defining disaster for either star. Varun Dhawan has “Baby John” lined up, while Janhvi Kapoor continues building her filmography with diverse projects.
The film’s performance does highlight that star power alone can no longer guarantee box office success. Content, timing, and competitive positioning matter more than ever in today’s fractured entertainment landscape.
FAQs
Q1: Is “Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari” a hit or flop?
“Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari” is tracking toward box office disappointment. With ₹49.25 crore nett after ten days and barely crossing ₹50 crore in its second week, the film falls short of expectations for a Dharma Productions project starring Varun Dhawan and Janhvi Kapoor. While the exact budget hasn’t been disclosed, industry estimates suggest it needs around ₹80-90 crore to break even. A 60% second-weekend drop and weak daily collections indicate it will struggle to reach even ₹70 crore lifetime, making it a commercial failure despite not being an outright disaster.
Q2: Why are mid-budget Bollywood films struggling at the box office?
Mid-budget Bollywood films face multiple challenges in the post-pandemic era: First, streaming platforms have eroded the theatrical base, with audiences willing to wait 8 weeks for OTT releases rather than pay premium ticket prices. Second, rising ticket costs make families selective, choosing big-budget spectacles over smaller films. Third, content overload across platforms means films need extraordinary word-of-mouth to stand out. Even critically acclaimed mid-budget films like “Jolly LLB 3” and “Sitaare Zameen Par” have underperformed compared to pre-pandemic standards, suggesting structural changes in viewing habits rather than individual film failures.
