Shehzada Box Office Collection Day 1: Can Kartik Aaryan-Kriti Sanon's Film Survive SRK's Pathaan Tide?

Actor Kartik Aaryan has been on a winning spree since his last free performances impressed everyone and were declared hits. The actor was also looking to replicate the same success his last releases had achieved. With Shehzada released today, February 17, expectations were super high for Kartik Aaryan. However, it appears that his charm may not be as effective as it was for Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2. Shehzada, which also stars Kriti Sanon in the lead role, had just opened for Rs 6-7 crore on its first day, as per early estimates.

Meanwhile, Kartik's Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 had made around Rs 14.11 crore on its first day and gradually went on to be a superhit, minting Rs 260 crore. The film opened to a relatively low response, and its advance bookings were also low prior to its release. It is said to be the lowest for a big release post-pandemic. However, the "buy one, get one" ticket offer during the advance sales period helped increase ticket sales, but the movie is heading towards a disastrous opening.

CAN SHEHZADA WITHSTAND PATHAAN'S TIDE?

Kartik Aaryan's Shehzada was a testing ground for the actor's stardom. The film's release was even pushed back to avoid clashing with Shah Rukh Khan's Pathaan. As per a trade analyst, Komal Nahta and Shehzada had a "terrible" opening. Speaking to HT, he said, "Terrible opening. First day will be 6 or 7 crore only. It's a flop right from the word 'go'." Trade analyst and film critic Taran Adarsh, also shared the box office figures for Shahzada on Friday. Check it out here.

Pathaan, SRK's comeback film, is still performing well at the box office. Even after 23 days, Pathaan has surpassed the Rs 500-crore mark in India and is on its way to cross the Rs 1000-crore mark globally. The film that was released on January 25 has transcended the lifetime collections of several Indian films, including Dangal, KGF: Chapter 2, and The Kashmir Files, among others. It collected Rs 54 crore nett on its day one in India and a similar number at the international market too.

And now, looking at Shehzada's opening day collection, it's hard to say that it will make anything near Pathaan, as it's still running successfully in theaters. However, given the weekend, the film might see a little jump, but its fate totally depends on people's opinions.

Directed by Rohit Dhawan, Shehzada is a remake of the Telugu film Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo (2020), which starred Allu Arjun, Pooja Hegde, and Tabu in the lead roles.