Dunki had a slow start at the box office on its first day, making it Shah Rukh Khan’s lowest-earning film of the year, following Jawan and Pathaan. Directed by Rajkumar Hirani, the film hit theatres on Thursday and, according to Sacnilk.com, had a “good start” in India.
Reports suggest that Dunki may have earned around ₹30 crore nett across all languages on its opening day, marking Shah Rukh Khan’s least successful movie this year. For comparison, Pathaan reportedly earned ₹57 crore on its first day, while Jawan brought in ₹89.5 crore.
The Hindustan Times review praises SRK’s performance, noting his charming portrayal of a clean-shaven hero in the first half and his even more captivating presence in the second half as the story takes challenging routes through Iran’s deserts and snowy mountains.
Despite lukewarm reviews from critics, fans enthusiastically welcomed Dunki on its release day with drumbeats, dancing, and confetti. This is Shah Rukh’s third film of the year after the blockbuster hits Pathaan and Jawan. While the film centres around illegal immigration in a comedy-drama format, it didn’t generate the same excitement as his earlier releases.
Fans across various cities celebrated the release with early morning shows, garlanding Shah Rukh cutouts, and even pouring milk on them. In Mumbai’s Gaiety Cinema, a fan club organized the “first-ever 5.55 am” screening.
Dunki features a star-studded cast, including Taapsee Pannu, Vicky Kaushal, Boman Irani, Vikram Kochhar, and Anil Grover. It faces competition from Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire, a period action drama starring Prabhas and Prithviraj Sukumaran, releasing on Friday. Shah Rukh’s previous films, Pathaan and Jawan, each earned over ₹1,000 crore globally and are credited with revitalizing the struggling Hindi film exhibition sector.
