Pennu Case Faces Steep Box Office Decline After Opening Weekend
The Malayalam film Pennu Case has experienced a significant drop in box office earnings as it moves from weekend screenings to weekdays. Starring Nikhila Vimal and Hakkim Shajahan in lead roles, the movie showed initial promise but could not maintain momentum.
Sharp Fall in Daily Collections
According to industry tracker Sacnilk, Pennu Case earned only Rs 10 lakh in India net collections on its fourth day, Tuesday, January 13. This marks a dramatic decline from its opening day performance.
The film began its theatrical run with reasonable numbers, collecting Rs 30 lakh on the first day. It saw a slight improvement on Sunday, January 11, minting Rs 35 lakh. However, the trend reversed quickly.
- Opening Day (January 10): Rs 30 lakh
- Sunday (January 11): Rs 35 lakh
- Monday (January 12): Rs 15 lakh
- Tuesday (January 13): Rs 10 lakh
By the fourth day, the India net collection stood at Rs 90 lakhs. The film has collected an additional Rs 25 lakhs overseas, bringing the worldwide total to Rs 1.32 crore.
Release Date Change Fails to Boost Performance
Makers of Pennu Case pushed up the release date to January 10. This decision came due to the delay of Vijay's film Jana Nayagan. However, the box office numbers suggest the preponement has not worked in the film's favor.
The weekday collections have effectively halved the earnings compared to the opening weekend. This indicates weak audience retention beyond the initial days.
About the Film and Critical Reception
Directed by Febin Sidarth, Pennu Case tells the story of a woman con artist who runs a wedding scam. Alongside lead actors Nikhila Vimal and Hakkim Shajahan, the film features supporting performances from Aju Varghese, Ramesh Pisharody, Praveen Raja, Shivajith, Irshad Ali, PP Kunhikrishnan, Dhanesh Koliyat, and Anarkali Nazar.
The Times of India gave the film a rating of 2 out of 5. Their review states, "A film does not become women-centric simply because a woman occupies the central role or gets more screen time. Pennu Case fails to meaningfully explore its female character or offer any strong commentary on relationships or deception."
The review further criticizes the execution, calling it "a missed opportunity" with "poor writing, weak performances, and flawed technical execution." It concludes by describing the film as "an underwhelming watch that struggles to rise above its shortcomings."
The combination of mixed critical reception and declining box office numbers presents a challenging scenario for Pennu Case. The film now faces the task of attracting viewers during the remaining theatrical run.
