Film fans have witnessed quite the showdown at the box office this weekend with the contrasting fortunes of Himesh Reshammiya's Badass Ravi Kumar and Junaid Khan-Khushi Kapoor's Loveyapa. What initially appeared to be two equally anticipated films has turned out to be a one-sided battle, with Badass Ravi Kumar now clearly reigning supreme.
While audiences expected much from Loveyapa, the romantic comedy has struggled significantly at the box office. After its opening weekend, the film reported earnings of just ₹44 lakh from morning shows on its first day, according to tracker Sacnilk. This lackluster performance saw Badass Ravi Kumar earning nearly ₹90 lakh—an astonishing difference considering both films had similar promotional efforts.
The occupancy rates tell the story even more clearly. Loveyapa recorded just 5.6% occupancy during morning shows across the country, whereas Badass Ravi Kumar attracted 13%, showcasing strong interest from viewers. This pattern persisted with Loveyapa managing only 402 showings in Mumbai and approximately 590 screenings across Delhi-NCR, compared to Badass Ravi Kumar, which had 411 and 540 respective showings.
Richard E, from Koimoi, noted, "The film has even seen several shows getting cancelled in several parts of the country. The collections are low." This highlights how even some of its planned screenings weren’t enough to draw audiences. Meanwhile, Badass Ravi Kumar displayed healthy performances particularly at single-screen theatres and tier-2 cities, performing over 14% occupancy by afternoon shows.
Interestingly, Loveyapa had the marketing muscle of Junaid Khan’s star father, Aamir Khan, yet it failed to translate hype to ticket sales. This led trade analysts to question whether budget allocations for promotions were effectively spent. "Given the competition it has had, the film is doing wonders," noted one distributor, reflecting the uphill battle the romantic comedy faces.
The opening for both films saw a promising response from audiences, especially for Badass Ravi Kumar, marking Himesh Reshammiya's comeback as the protagonist. This marks the musician-turned-actor's first leading role since 2020’s Happy Hardy and Heer. Reshammiya has returned to his famed character, Ravi Kumar, from his successful project The Xpose, offering viewers high expectations for this new installment.
The leading lady of Badass Ravi Kumar, Sunny Leone, alongside other supporting actors, has contributed to the film's appeal, possibly enhancing its reach. Junaid Khan and Khushi Kapoor, on the other hand, faced criticism. Shubhra Gupta from the Indian Express attested, "It doesn’t help Junaid Khan, being perfectly pleasant, lacks much of an edge: maybe he’s just what this movie needed, but there’s little sizzle with Khushi Kapoor, who’s got more personality going on," which is emblematic of the overall struggles Loveyapa faces.
Despite the competition both these movies bring, the real star of the weekend might just be Thandel, another film attracting audiences and projected to claim the weekend's top spot—highlighting how the battle for box office dominance can be unpredictable.
It remains to be seen if Loveyapa can recover from its weak start. There are whispers of cancellation for upcoming shows, amplifying the notion of its inability to attract viewers. Meanwhile, Badass Ravi Kumar's performance could set it up for more successful weekends if word-of-mouth reviews remain favorable. The contrasting nature of the two films—Reshammiya's self-aware action-comedy against the breezy premise of Loveyapa—highlights the unpredictability of the Bollywood box office and audience preferences.
With box office reports continuing to come through, one thing is apparent: audiences have made their choice clear, at least for the opening weekend. What does this mean for upcoming films and their marketing strategies? Only time will tell.