Anurag Basu’s latest musical drama, “Metro In Dino,” has opened to a subdued start at the box office, earning just Rs 3.35 crore on its first day.
A Slow Start for “Metro In Dino”
Despite boasting an impressive ensemble cast including Anupam Kher, Neena Gupta, Pankaj Tripathi, Konkona Sen Sharma, Aditya Roy Kapur, and Sara Ali Khan, the film struggled to attract audiences on its opening day.
Industry tracker Sacnilk reported a Day 1 collection of Rs 3.35 crore. The overall occupancy for “Metro In Dino” stood at a modest 17.99%, with morning shows seeing just 8.64% attendance.
While evening and night shows saw some improvement, major cities like Delhi-NCR and Mumbai registered surprisingly low occupancies, hovering just below 20%.
Facing Stiff Competition
Adding to its challenges, “Metro In Dino” is up against strong contenders at the box office. The Hollywood release “Jurassic World Rebirth” debuted with a robust Rs 9 crore, significantly outperforming Basu’s film.
Meanwhile, holdover films continue to draw crowds. Kajol’s “Maa” collected Rs 1 crore on its eighth day, and Brad Pitt’s “F1” earned Rs 3.50 crore on its eighth day, proving its continued popularity.
Aamir Khan’s “Sitaare Zameen Par,” now in its third week, has already grossed an impressive Rs 137 crore, further highlighting the competitive landscape.
Comparing Past and Present Performances
“Metro In Dino” is a spiritual successor to Basu’s acclaimed 2007 film “Life in a Metro,” which had a much smaller opening of Rs 87 lakh but went on to earn around Rs 24 crore globally.
However, compared to Basu’s more recent works, “Metro In Dino” falls short. His last theatrical release, “Jagga Jasoos,” starring Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif, opened at Rs 8.57 crore.
Even Sara Ali Khan’s previous theatrical outing, “Zara Hatke Zara Bachke,” saw a better opening day collection of Rs 5.49 crore, indicating a tougher road ahead for “Metro In Dino.”
The Road Ahead for Bollywood
With a reported budget of Rs 100 crore (Rs 85 crore for production and Rs 15 crore for advertising), “Metro In Dino” faces a significant task to recover its costs. While it benefits from a popular soundtrack and relatively positive word-of-mouth, it will need a substantial jump over the weekend and sustained momentum through the weekdays.
The film’s performance also reflects a mixed year for Bollywood so far. Only Vicky Kaushal’s “Chhaava” has achieved blockbuster status with Rs 585 crore, followed by “Raid 2” at Rs 173 crore. “Sitaare Zameen Par” is poised to join the list of top performers, but the year continues to see a blend of hits and misses.
- “Metro In Dino” opened with Rs 3.35 crore on Day 1.
- It earned significantly less than “Jurassic World Rebirth” (Rs 9 crore).
- Occupancy was low at 17.99%, with Delhi-NCR and Mumbai lagging.
- The film’s budget is reportedly Rs 100 crore.
The coming days will be crucial to determine if “Metro In Dino” can find its rhythm and resonate with audiences, or if it will add to the growing list of lukewarm box office entries this year.
