Rajkummar Rao's latest film, "Bhool Chuk Maaf," has made a promising start at the box office, earning an estimated ₹6.75 crore on its opening day, May 23, 2025. This marks a decent opening for the sci-fi romantic comedy, especially considering the mixed reviews it has received from critics and audiences. The movie's journey to the big screen was also fraught with controversy, adding to the anticipation surrounding its release.
Directed by Karan Sharma, "Bhool Chuk Maaf" features Rajkummar Rao and Wamiqa Gabbi in the lead roles, supported by a stellar cast including Seema Pahwa, Raghubir Yadav, Sanjay Mishra, and Zakir Hussain. The film revolves around Ranjan (Rajkummar Rao), a small-town romantic from Banaras, who gets stuck in a time loop, reliving the eve of his wedding day. The quirky premise and Rao's performance have been praised, contributing to the film's initial success.
The film recorded an overall 19.36% occupancy in the Hindi 2D category across India. The morning shows began with a modest 9.40% occupancy, gradually increasing to 31.27% by night. Region-wise, the film performed best in the National Capital Region (NCR) with 21.5% occupancy, followed closely by Bengaluru at 25%. Mumbai and Pune trailed slightly behind with 19.5% and 17.75%, respectively. With over 900 shows in NCR alone and steady momentum across metros, "Bhool Chuk Maaf" appears poised for a solid weekend.
Despite the positive opening day numbers, "Bhool Chuk Maaf" has received mixed reviews. Some critics have praised the film's unique premise and Rajkummar Rao's charming performance, while others have found the movie to be a tiring comedy with lagging laughs. Some critics noted that Rajkummar Rao's portrayal is becoming repetitive, and the humor feels forced at times. Another criticism is that the movie tries to be a social message drama, which doesn't quite fit with the comedy genre.
Adding to the film's journey was the controversy surrounding its release. Initially, Maddock Films had planned to release "Bhool Chuk Maaf" directly on Amazon Prime Video, skipping the theatrical release altogether, citing sensitivities around the India-Pakistan conflict. This decision led to a legal battle with PVR Inox, a leading multiplex chain, which claimed a breach of contract. The Bombay High Court intervened, and eventually, it was decided that the film would first release in theaters on May 23, followed by streaming on Amazon Prime Video on June 6, just two weeks later.
"Bhool Chuk Maaf" has become Rajkummar Rao's fourth film since "Stree 2" to earn over ₹5 crore on its opening day. The film has surpassed the opening day figures of "Kai Po Che" (₹4.50 crore), "Judgementall Hai Kya" (₹5.40 crore), and "Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video" (₹5.71 crore), entering Rao's top 5 openers of all time. However, it failed to surpass the day 1 collection of "Stree" (₹6.82 crores) and "Kesari Chapter 2" (₹7.75 crores).
Whether "Bhool Chuk Maaf" can maintain its momentum and achieve long-term box office success remains to be seen. The film's performance over the weekend will be crucial in determining its fate.
