De De Pyaar De 2 Maintains Steady Pace at the Box Office
The Bollywood sequel 'De De Pyaar De 2', starring Ajay Devgn, is demonstrating a stable performance in cinemas across India. The film, which serves as a follow-up to the 2019 original, opened with a collection of approximately Rs 8.75 crore. It witnessed a positive trend over its inaugural weekend, with figures growing on Saturday and Sunday.
Week-by-Week Breakdown
After concluding its first week with a total of Rs 51.1 crore, the film entered its second week. On its second Friday, it added Rs 2.25 crore to its kitty. This was followed by a jump to Rs 4 crore on Saturday and Rs 4.50 crore on Sunday, marking its second weekend (day 9 and day 10). Interestingly, this second weekend performance was better than the first weekend numbers of new releases like '120 Bahadur' and 'Masti 4'. As expected, collections dipped on the following Monday, with the film earning Rs 1.50 crore. According to the tracking site Sacnilk, the total collection now stands at a respectable Rs 63.20 crore.
A Look Back at the Predecessor
The original 'De De Pyaar De' from 2019 set a high benchmark with its remarkable holding power beyond the first week. It had collected an impressive Rs 14.04 crore in its second weekend. Its success was largely attributed to strong word-of-mouth, a contemporary premise, and the engaging chemistry between its lead actors Ajay Devgn, Tabu, and Rakul Preet Singh. In a direct comparison, 'De De Pyaar De 2' has earned Rs 10.75 crore in its second weekend, which is over Rs 3.29 crore lower than its predecessor. This dip is not entirely surprising, given the sequel's comparatively weaker first-week numbers.
Screen Retention: A Silver Lining
Despite the challenges, the film found a minor victory in its screen count. It was anticipated that 'De De Pyaar De 2' would lose nearly 20% of its screens to the new releases. However, due to the underwhelming audience response to 'Mastiii 4', the sequel managed to hold on to those screens. This strategic retention has provided the film with a continued opportunity to attract audiences and add to its total collection.
