Inside the Box: Vikram Vedha Struggles to Draw Audiences

Vikram Vedha, directed by Pushkar–Gayathri and a remake of their hit Tamil movie from 2017, was one of this year’s most anticipated releases. Starring Hrithik Roshan and Saif Ali Khan, the film made Rs 10.58 crore on its first day. By the end of its first weekend, the film had collected Rs 36.94 crore at the Indian box office, with approximately Rs 12.51 crore and Rs 13.85 crore coming in on the second and third day respectively. Keeping in mind the star cast and the positive buzz surrounding the film since its trailer launch, the box office earnings are significantly lower than expected. The Tamil original, starring R. Madhavan and Vijay Sethupathi, had grossed approximately Rs 10 crore in the first three days and made Rs 17 crore at the worldwide box office.

A trade analyst, speaking on condition of anonymity, described the Hindi Vikram Vedha as “massy” and as “a Ram Gopal Varma film from the Nineties, with not much entertainment value.” They pointed to the mixed responses the film has received and said that in the post-pandemic scenario, middling was simply not good enough. “Just because the industry likes it, doesn’t mean the public will. Moreover, the habits of the audience have changed. You can’t undo the past two years in six months,” said the analyst.

In contrast, Mani Ratnam’s Ponniyin Selvan: I (PS-1) saw a strong opening for its Tamil version, but the Hindi dub hasn’t fared as well. It reportedly collected Rs 7.35 crore on the first weekend while the Tamil PS-1 had a record opening.