The magic of Dhanush and Kriti Sanon’s on-screen chemistry is weaving a spell at the box office. Their latest romantic drama, ‘Tere Ishk Mein’, directed by Aanand L. Rai, is witnessing a phenomenal run in theatres. After a powerful opening day, the film has capitalized on the weekend buzz, showing a significant jump in collections on its second day, bringing its total earnings tantalizingly close to the ₹25 crore milestone.
A Smashing Start: Day 1 Box Office Breakdown
‘Tere Ishk Mein’, which marks Dhanush’s return to a quintessential “mad lover boy” role reminiscent of ‘Raanjhanaa’, opened to positive reviews from both critics and audiences. This strong word-of-mouth translated directly into impressive box office numbers on its debut day, November 28.
The film, released in both Hindi and Tamil, surpassed all expectations by netting an impressive ₹16 crore on its opening day across India. The primary contribution came from the Hindi version, which alone collected approximately ₹15.25 crore (as per Sacnilk) or ₹15.05 crore (as announced by the co-producers, T-Series). This double-digit opening set a solid foundation for the film’s theatrical journey.
Day 2 Early Estimates: A Strong Saturday Surge
As anticipated, the film’s momentum only grew stronger on its first Saturday (November 29). The weekend buzz and positive audience reactions fueled a substantial surge in footfalls. According to real-time data from Sacnilk, ‘Tere Ishk Mein’ had already added an estimated ₹7.68 crore to its kitty by 6:15 PM on its second day.
With this robust early trend, the film’s total net collection is projected to have reached approximately ₹23.68 crore by the evening. Industry experts predict that the final figure for Day 2 will be even higher once the collections from the prime evening and night shows are fully accounted for, firmly placing it on track to cross the ₹25 crore mark swiftly.
Occupancy Rates Reflect Growing Audience Interest
The rising box office numbers are directly correlated with the increasing occupancy rates in theatres across the country. The film’s Saturday performance showed a healthy growth, especially during the afternoon shows.
- Hindi Version: The morning shows saw an occupancy of 12.08%, which more than doubled to 26.60% during the afternoon.
- Tamil Version: The film also held strong in its Tamil market, with morning occupancy at 15.51% and afternoon shows climbing to **24.73%.
This upward trend in occupancy from morning to afternoon indicates strong walk-in audience numbers, a positive sign for the rest of the weekend.
Outshining the Competition
While ‘Tere Ishk Mein’ continues its dream run, its direct competitor at the box office, ‘Gustaakh Ishq’ featuring Vijay Raaz and Fatima Sana Shaikh, has struggled to find an audience. In a stark contrast, ‘Gustaakh Ishq’ managed to collect only around ₹16 lakhs on its second day (till 6:15 PM), taking its two-day total to a modest ₹66 lakhs. The Dhanush-Kriti starrer has clearly dominated the box office this weekend.
With its powerful performances, soulful music, and Aanand L. Rai’s signature storytelling, ‘Tere Ishk Mein’ is proving to be a major draw for audiences. All eyes are now on its crucial Day 3 performance to see if it can sustain this momentum and post a formidable first-weekend total.