Sooraj Pancholi's 'Kesari Veer' has Disastrous Opening at Box Office
The period epic "Kesari Veer," starring Sooraj Pancholi and Suniel Shetty, experienced an exceptionally poor start at the Indian box office on its opening day, Friday, May 23rd. The film managed to collect a mere ₹25 lakh nett domestically, according to industry tracker Sacnilk, signaling significant challenges for its theatrical run and marking a potential fourth consecutive commercial failure for Pancholi.6
Dismal Opening
"Kesari Veer's" first-day earnings of ₹25 lakh represent the lowest opening for any film released this year, falling considerably short of other modest openers like "Azaad," which had collected ₹1.5 crore on its first day. The film, directed by Prince Dhiman and also featuring Vivek Oberoi, Akansha Sharma, and Mukesh Agrohari, was subject to extensive promotional activities and was positioned as another comeback attempt for Sooraj Pancholi. However, the minimal collections suggest these efforts did not go well with the audience. Occupancy rates for "Kesari Veer" were reportedly very low throughout its opening day, with Sacnilk reporting morning and afternoon show occupancies at 3.4% and 7.2% respectively, only marginally increasing to 5.9% and 9.8% for evening and night shows.8
Sooraj Pancholi's Career
Sooraj Pancholi, who made his debut with "Hero" in 2015, was last seen in the 2021 film "Time To Dance." His career has been notably impacted by his past involvement in a legal case concerning the death of his late girlfriend, Jiah Khan. During the trailer launch for "Kesari Veer," co-star Suniel Shetty had publicly supported Pancholi, urging audiences to witness his talent and hard work.
The film faced box office competition from the Rajkummar Rao-starrer "Bhool Chook Maaf," which, after initial plans for a direct-to-OTT release, secured a theatrical opening and earned approximately ₹6.75 crore on its first day.
The exceptionally low opening day figures for "Kesari Veer" indicate a severe lack of audience engagement despite its promotional campaign and the presence of established actors. The film now faces an uphill battle to achieve any significant theatrical success, casting further doubt on Sooraj Pancholi's attempts to re-establish his career.
Photo courtesy: MSN
