Hyderabad: Bollywood actor Kartik Aaryna's film Shehzada hit the screens today. The family entertainer has reportedly opened to a lower number than Karitk's previous release Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2. While the horror-comedy helmed by Anees Bazmee had opened with Rs 14.11 crore, Shehzada seemingly underperformed than expected.
The makers of Shehzada opened advance booking for the film five days before the film's release. Kartik's film is facing tough competition with Shah Rukh Khan's Pathaan and the Hollywood film Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania which also hit Indian screens today. The numbers for Shehzada advance booking count for national chains (PVR, INOX, and Cinepolis) stands at 25,825 while Ant-Man sold 1,06,500 tickets, shared trade analyst Taran Adarsh.
If buzz in the trade is anything to go by, first day collection of Shehzada will be around Rs 6 crore. While the official numbers are yet to be out, the opening day business of Shehzada is said to be far less than Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2. The early box office trends are bleak despite positive chatter around the film, Kartik's craze, and the success of his last film. The fans of Kartik, however, are hoping for another successful outing for the actor.