Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari, starring Varun Dhawan, Janhvi Kapoor, Sanya Malhotra and Rohit Saraf, released in theatres on Thursday (October 2), and earned an estimated Rs 9.25 crore across India on its first day. Directed by Shashank Khaitan, the film is produced by Karan Johar's Dharma.
The film, released predominantly in Hindi, recorded an overall 34.08 per cent occupancy, with show-wise performance varying throughout the day.
According to Sacnilk, morning shows struggled with 14.77 per cent occupancy, while afternoon audiences picked up at 38.93 per cent. Evening shows saw the highest turnout at 43.65 per cent before dipping slightly for night shows to 38.95 per cent.
Despite the moderate opening, the film is facing stiff competition from Rishab Shetty's Kantara: Chapter 1, which released on the same day. Kantara created a massive buzz across India, earning an estimated Rs 60 crore across all languages, with the Hindi version alone contributing Rs 19-21 crore.
Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari's opening, by contrast, is a proof of the challenge of competing with a pan-India blockbuster on the same day. While Kantara leveraged strong advance bookings, word-of-mouth, and franchise momentum, Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari drew a modest audience. The film will need sustained audience interest over the weekend to build momentum.
If it manages to attract audiences in the coming days, particularly in urban and multiplex centres, it could still carve out a respectable total collection. The coming weekend will be crucial to gauge whether Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari can hold its own against the box office juggernaut.
The Free Press Journal's review of the film read, "Overall, Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari is undoubtedly one of the best romantic comedies we have seen in recent times. It is fun, entertaining, and filled with some wonderful performances. P.S. There is a cameo in the climax; a crossover no one expected."
The film also stars Maniesh Paul, Abhinav Sharma, Akshay Oberoi, Manini Chadha and others.
