Director Shoojit Sircar’s October didn't do very well on its first day at the domestic box office. The Varun Dhawan and Banita Sandhu-starrer earned only Rs4.75 crore approximately, as per figures shared by boxofficeindia.com.
The number appears low for an actor like Dhawan whose films usully fare well commercially. His last three films, Judwaa 2 (2017), Badrinath Ki Dulhania (2017) and Dishoom (2016), opened at Rs16 crore, Rs11.68 crore and Rs11 crore, respectively. In fact, this is Dhawan’s lowest opening ever.
However, it should also be noted that so far, barring Badlapur (2015), all his films have been aimed at the masses, while October is more of a festival film aimed at a niche audience. Therefore, considering these aspects, one cannot expect big numbers here. The film has also recieved positive reviews that increase the chances of its earnings to jump today (14 April) and tomorrow (15 April).
October review: An intimate, emotional journey
A point in October’s favour is that the film is not made on a high budget. In fact, Dhawan had revealed that he had slashed his fees to a half for this film.
The box office performance of the film in its first week, starting Monday (16 April), will be crucial for its fate.
Meanwhile, Tiger Shroff’s Baaghi 2 earned a decent Rs1.50 crore on its third Friday. The Ahmed Khan directorial has so far bagged Rs144.81 crore nett. The film is well on its way to reach the Rs150 crore club.