Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan Box Office Day 1: Shanaya Kapoor's Debut Film With Vikrant Massey Opens With A Disappointing ₹35 Lakh

Shanaya Kapoor's much-talked-about Bollywood debut Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan failed to make a strong impression at the box office on Day 1. Starring alongside Vikrant Massey, the romantic drama managed to earn only Rs 35 lakh on its opening day, according to early estimates by Sacnilk.

The film saw an overall Hindi occupancy of just 9.92 per cent on Friday (July 11). Morning shows started on a sluggish note with 5.87 per cent occupancy, which marginally improved in the afternoon (9.43 per cent) and evening (8.62 per cent). The night shows saw a slight uptick at 15.77 per cent, but not enough to lift the film's underwhelming performance.

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Maalik performs better than Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan

Directed by Santosh Singh and written by Mansi Bagla, Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan marks the big-screen debut of Shanaya, daughter of Sanjay Kapoor and Maheep Kapoor. Despite the hype around her launch, the film failed to draw audiences to theatres.

Adding to the film's challenge was its box office clash with Rajkummar Rao and Manushi Chhillar's gangster drama Maalik, which had a better opening with Rs 3.48 crore.

The film's first day collection also pales in comparison to Vikrant's previous outing, The Sabarmati Report, which opened at Rs 1.25 crore. The steep drop suggests that Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan struggled to connect with viewers, despite the debut buzz and known cast.

Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan received mixed reviews

It may be noted that Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan received mixed reviews from both critics and the audience. While Vikrant's performance was appreciated in parts, the film's lack of novelty and slow narrative drew criticism.

The Free Press Journal's review of the film read, "Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan is a well-intentioned film with an identity crisis. It tries to feel something deeply, even if it often feels too much, too loudly, and for too long. It wants to be lyrical, but slips into parody; it wants to be profound, but settles for precious. Still, it has its heart — if not its eyesight — in the right place."

As the weekend approaches, the film faces an uphill battle at the box office and will need strong word-of-mouth to show any growth.