DREAM GIRL 2 does good business on day one as collections come in the 9.75-10 crore nett range with better than expected collections in some of the mass pockets of UP, CI and Rajasthan. Gujarat, Maharashtra and Bihar are lagging but other Hindi speaking circuits have scored over a film like ROCKY AUR RANI KII PREM KAHAANI including Delhi/UP and East Punjab with the latter having big competition from a Punjabi film.

The numbers of DREAM GIRL 2 edge past the first film which was at 9.50 crore and as a franchise it should be scoring better. But the male lead is coming off many duds and on top, there is s drag act which will not go down well at many places. Hence, getting to around 10 crore nett is a good result. The results in UP, MP and Rajasthan are a plus as the multiplexes in these places have managed to collect. So, there is some support in the core mass pockets.

It remains to see how it goes and if the film picks up in Gujarat/Saurashtra. If that happens, there will be no stopping the film. This area is the weak point of the film, especially as its a comedy. Ayushmann Khurrana's films tend to do less here as despite being comedies they have some sort of sex, gay, lesbian, etc element to them and its a conservative audience here.

GADAR 2 is still doing double the business of DREAM GIRL 2 here despite being on the third Friday. But that film is also going to be biggest grosser ever in the sub circuit. Maharashtra is also low but that is sort of expected. Its another film where the Delhi/UP day one number is going to be higher than Mumbai circuit.

The box office is now back to where it should be and the audiences are truly back. Its not exactly like as it was before with some areas doing better than before while others are less. Hopefully these lesser areas will also get back to better than before and slowly that world streaming, which is just a fancy word can be on the back burner, if it is not there already.

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DREAM GIRL 2 has taken the eighth best opening of the year at 10 crore nett and its not that far off bigger films like ROCKY AUR RANI KII PREM KAHAANI and BHOLAA though the latter was released when the box office was struggling earlier this year.

The summer has changed the picture for the Hindi film industry as before it was actually embarrassing putting up the top ten opening days as films with 4-5 crore nett opening day featured among the top ten. The summer was going well and then then the Independence week releases really put the icing on the cake and hopefully there will be no looking back. 

Exactly one year ago it was the pits with LAAL SINGH CHADDHA and RAKSHA BANDHAN. It was the lowest point ever for the film industry but the turnaround is complete now. It was always going to happen and it has actually come earlier then expected as much of this content like SATYAPREM KI KATHA, ROCKY AUR RANI KII PREM KAHAANI and OMG 2 and DREAM GIRL 2 is more of a pre pandemic content which would have for sure resulted in better numbers in 2019. 

The fact that good to decent numbers are coming now for these films is a plus and then on the other side the likes of GADAR 2 and PATHAAN have made that 300 crore nett pre pandemic benchmark into 500 crore nett.

Below are the top ten opening days of 2023.

1. Pathaan - 55,72,00,000

2. Gadar 2 - 38,96,00,000

3. Adipurush - 31,73,00,000

4. Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar - 13,98,00,000

5. Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan - 13,39,00,000

6. Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani - 10,34,00,000

7. Bholaa - 10,12,00,000

9. OMG 2 - 9,32,00,000

10. Satyaprem Ki Katha - 8,20,00,000