Bholaa box office collection Day 1: Ajay Devgn’s action film can’t match Drishyam 2’s opening, earns Rs 11.20 crore

Bholaa is the third-highest opener of the year after Pathaan, which made Rs 57 crore on its first day, and Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar, which minted Rs 15.73 crore on the first day, as per Bollywood Hungama. As per the publication, Bholaa performed better in the smaller centres and started gaining momentum in the afternoon shows.

By comparison, Drishyam 2 had a strong opening of Rs 15.38 crore and eventually did a lifetime business of Rs 240.54 crore. Both Drishyam 2 and Bholaa are remakes of Malayalam and Tamil films, respectively. Bholaa is the remake of Lokesh Kanagaraj’s Kaithi, which released in 2019. Recent releases Shehzada and Selfiee were also remakes but failed to attract the audience. The failure of those films started the conversation in Bollywood about whether remakes are still a viable strategy.

Bholaa has also been directed by Ajay, who has a less than impressive track record as a director. He previously helmed U Me Aur Hum, Shivaay and Runway 34. Runway 34, which also starred Amitabh Bachchan, opened with Rs 3 crore and managed to only collect Rs 32.96 crore during its entire run.

The Indian Express’ Shubhra Gupta gave Bholaa 3 stars and called it a “no-holds-barred, high-octane actioner we haven’t seen in Bollywood in a long time.” The review further read, “Ajay Devgn-Tabu’s all-out action film is not for the faint-hearted but it is bang for your buck.”