Dharma Productions' multi-starrer Kalank has posted the highest opening for 2019 so far after it earned Rs21 crore nett on its opening day, as reported by Boxofficeindia.com.
Producer Karan Johar was delighted with the opening day collection.
"Eternal love always wins. #Kalank becomes the HIGHEST OPENER OF 2019! Watch it in cinemas now!" he tweeted.
Made at an estimated budget of Rs200 crore, Kalank has been released on 4,000 screens in India and 1,200 screens in the overseas market. Opening day 17 April was Mahavir Jayanti, but not a national holiday.
Kalank review: Disappointing saga set in pre-Partition times
Produced by Dharma Productions and distributed by FoxStar Studios, Kalank overtook another Dharma film Kesari [Rs20.40 crore nett] to set the highest opening day collection of 2019 so far. Kesari was released on the Holi holiday (21 March). Made on an estimated budget of Rs100 crore, Kesari was released on 3,600 screens across India and 400 overseas.
Kesari review: This is what Border (1997) looks like in 2019
The reviews for Kalank has not been that flattering and with a huge budget, Kalank will have to collect huge numbers in its extended opening weekend.
Directed by Abhishek Varman, Kalank is a family drama set in the pre-Partition period. It stars Varun Dhawan, Alia Bhatt, Madhuri Dixit, Sanjay Dutt, Sonakshi Sinha and Aditya Roy Kapur.
Kalank has set the highest opening for any Dhawan and Bhatt film. Dhawan was part of the supporting cast in the Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Dilwale (2015) that made Rs20.37 crore nett on its opening day. Bhatt had achieved a personal high when Gully Boy (2019) had opened to Rs19.26 crore nett.