The much-anticipated romantic comedy starring Kartik Aaryan and Ananya Panday, 'Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri', has finally crossed the Rs 30 crore mark in domestic box office collections. However, the film's journey has been slower than expected, failing to live up to its pre-release hype as a major contender against the blockbuster 'Dhurandhar'.
Day-by-Day Box Office Earnings: A Steep Decline
According to early estimates reported by Sacnilk, the film managed to collect only Rs 50 lakhs on its second Friday (Day 9) in theatres. This meagre earning has brought the total net collection to approximately Rs 30.65 crore. A detailed look at the daily figures reveals a significant drop after a promising start.
The film opened strongly on its first Thursday, collecting Rs 7.75 crore. It maintained decent numbers over the first weekend with Rs 5.25 crore on Friday, Rs 5.5 crore on Saturday, and Rs 5 crore on Sunday. However, a sharp decline began from the first Monday onwards, with earnings plummeting to the Rs 1.75-1.85 crore range on weekdays. The second Thursday saw a further dip to Rs 1.3 crore, leading to the low Rs 0.50 crore figure on the second Friday.
Tough Competition and Market Dynamics
The primary challenge for 'Tu Meri Main Tera' has been the overwhelming dominance of the mega-hit 'Dhurandhar'. The competing film has been leading the box office charts since its release and has reportedly crossed a staggering Rs 740 crore in India alone, completely overshadowing other releases.
Furthermore, the Kartik Aaryan-starrer is not just competing with one film. It also faces competition from veteran star Dharmendra's recent release, 'Ikkis', which has also performed better. The overall Hindi occupancy for 'Tu Meri Main Tera' stood at a modest 13.38% on its ninth day, with afternoon and night shows drawing the most viewers. Interestingly, Chennai reported the highest occupancy at 35.75%.
Upcoming Threats and Future Prospects
The road ahead looks increasingly difficult for the rom-com. The month of January is set to introduce several major releases predicted to perform well. These upcoming competitors include titles like '28 Years Later: The Bone Temple' and Vir Das's 'Happy Patel: Khatarnak Jasoos'. With its current slow pace, 'Tu Meri Main Tera' will likely struggle to find screens and audience share as these new films hit the theatres.
While crossing the Rs 30 crore milestone is an achievement, the film's performance is considered underwhelming given the star power of its lead pair and the initial expectations. The dramatic fall in daily collections indicates a lack of strong word-of-mouth support, which is crucial for a film's longevity in cinemas. The industry will be watching closely to see if it can stabilize its earnings in the coming days or continue its downward trend.
