Shahid Kapoor's latest film, Deva, opened its doors to theaters on January 31, 2025, but it seems the anticipation surrounding the action thriller was not enough to draw substantial crowds. Earning only Rs 5 crore on its first day, the film's box office performance has disappointed many, particularly when contextualized against earlier projections and Shahid's past hits.
Directed by Malayalam filmmaker Rosshan Andrrews, who makes his Hindi debut with this film, Deva has been pegged as an action drama inspired by the 2013 Malayalam hit Mumbai Police. Despite the optimistic buzz leading up to release day, expectations of opening earnings around Rs 7-8 crore fell drastically short. According to figures from industry tracker Sacnilk, the opening day collection not only flopped against those estimates but was also lower than Shahid Kapoor's previous film, Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya, which opened at Rs 6.7 crore.
To put this performance on scale, Deva saw only 22.50% occupancy on its opening day, meaning theaters weren't filled as hoped. A stark comparison can be drawn to Shahid's biggest hits, such as Kabir Singh, which opened to Rs 20.21 crore.
Shahid Kapoor's foray back onto the big screen after the 2022 film, Jersey, has certainly been highly anticipated. Known for his versatility, Shahid's character as 'Deva' was crafted over years. He shared his passion for this project openly with fans, stating, "One year of blood, sweat, and tears. 2024 was all Deva! Mera dil meri jaan. Mera kaam meri shiddat. Mera acting ke liye pyaar. Meri audience ke liye mohobbat..."—a heartfelt message indicating the depth of emotion and effort he invested. His intensity as the titular cop was noted to be both powerful and engaging, highlighting his physical transformation for the role.
While the film has received mixed reviews from critics, some audiences lauded Shahid's performance and the film's action sequences. Industry analysts, on the other hand, indicated the weekends would be pivotal for Deva depending on word-of-mouth momentum. "Deva can see some boost if strong word-of-mouth spreads. The coming days will be decisive for its box-office fate," said trade experts during discussions.
The film, featuring Pooja Hegde and Pavail Gulati, had much riding on its release, especially with it being claimed as one of the major releases for the start of the year. The film seeks to solidify Shahid’s status as one of Bollywood's leading versatile actors, but with another disappointed showing at the box office, questions loom about remakes' viability.
Looking at Shahid's film history, Deva now holds the dubious distinction of being among his lower openings, joining 2022's Jersey, which had only opened at Rs 2.93 crore. Despite the backdrop of acclaim for his previous works like Kabir Singh and Padmaavat, which have grossed well over Rs 300 crore combined when it came to box office, the current tally of Deva raises alarms about the reception of remakes and the audience's changing tastes.
With the current climate showing caution from moviegoers, only time will tell if Deva can manage to gain traction over the weekend. The film's fate now rests on audience reception and its potential to turn around through positive word of mouth.