Azaad Box Office Collection Day 1: Abhishek Kapoor’s much-anticipated period drama Azaad, starring debutants Aaman Devgan and Rasha Thadani, opened to a disappointing Rs. 1.5 crore on its first day. Despite high expectations and a significant marketing push, the film has failed to make an impact at the box office, struggling to generate audience interest.
Box Office Performance: A Slow Start for Azaad
The opening day performance of Azaad revealed poor occupancy rates, with morning shows experiencing minimal audience turnout. The occupancy for these shows was just 5%, signaling a lack of early audience engagement. Evening shows saw a slight improvement, with occupancy at 26%, but it was not enough to significantly increase the film’s opening-day collections.
Comparison with Previous Abhishek Kapoor Films
Abhishek Kapoor has had a strong track record of launching new talent in successful films. His earlier projects like Kai Po Che (2013) and Kedarnath (2018) featured fresh faces such as Sushant Singh Rajput and Sara Ali Khan, respectively. Both films performed well at the box office, with Kai Po Che earning Rs. 4.5 crore on its opening day and eventually grossing Rs. 50 crore, while Kedarnath made Rs. 6.8 crore on its opening day and grossed Rs. 66 crore. Unfortunately, Azaad is struggling to replicate this success, despite the initial buzz surrounding its lead actors.
Abhishek Kapoor’s Previous Box Office Challenges
Azaad marks the lowest opening for Abhishek Kapoor, who has had a string of underperforming films in recent years. His last film, Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui (2021), starring Ayushmann Khurrana, earned Rs. 3.5 crore on its opening day and grossed Rs. 28 crore in total. Now, with Azaad underperforming, it adds to his recent streak of box office disappointments.
Clash with Emergency at the Box Office
Another factor impacting Azaad‘s performance was its clash with Kangana Ranaut’s Emergency, which managed to earn Rs. 2.35 crore on its opening day. Although Emergency also had a modest start, it performed better than Azaad on Day 1, and the competition between these two high-profile releases likely diluted the box office prospects for both films.
Outlook for Azaad Moving Forward
With a slow start at the box office, Azaad faces an uphill battle. While the film may see some boost over the weekend, it remains uncertain if it can sustain momentum in the coming days. The lack of substantial audience engagement combined with competition from other films will make it difficult for Azaad to find its audience.
The film’s future performance hinges largely on word-of-mouth and the audience’s reception of debutants Aaman Devgan and Rasha Thadani’s performances. If the film gains traction and positive reviews, it could still attract a larger audience. However, for now, Azaad‘s box office prospects appear uncertain.