*The film "Vedaa," led by John Abraham and Sharvari Wagh, began its box office journey on August 15, 2024, with a somewhat modest performance. Released on Independence Day, the film shared its release date with two other significant Bollywood movies—Akshay Kumar's "Khel Khel Mein" and Rajkummar Rao-Shraddha Kapoor's highly anticipated "Stree 2." Among these, "Stree 2" emerged as the clear frontrunner, pulling in a staggering Rs 55 crore on its opening day, overshadowing the other releases.
"Vedaa," directed by Nikkhil Advani, garnered Rs 6.52 crore on its first day in theatres, according to early industry estimates provided by Sacnilk. Although these numbers are respectable, especially considering the overall Hindi occupancy rate of 35.63 percent, they fall short when compared to the dominant performance of "Stree 2." "Vedaa" did manage to outperform "Khel Khel Mein," which earned Rs 5 crore on its first day, but the film's opening still lags behind some of John Abraham's previous box office hits particularly his Independence Day releases.
In 2019, John Abraham's "Batla House" earned Rs 14 crore on its opening day, while 2018's "Satyameva Jayate" raked in an impressive Rs 19.50 crore on its first day, setting high expectations for his subsequent releases. Even John's last film, "Ek Villain Returns," managed to pull in Rs 7.05 crore on its first day, making "Vedaa's" opening figures comparatively lower. The film's performance is particularly disappointing when considering the track record of Independence Day releases, which traditionally perform well at the box office.
"Vedaa" explores a nuanced narrative centered around the relationship between a teacher and a student, with a significant focus on the caste system in India. However, the film has not been able to fully capitalize on its potential. Critics have noted that while the film's intentions are commendable, aiming to tackle important social issues, its execution leaves much to be desired. The screenplay has been criticized for being slow-paced and stretched, which detracts from the film's ability to engage its audience effectively. IndiaToday. 's critic Sana Farzeen mentioned that just when the audience starts to get invested in the story, the film's pacing causes it to lose momentum, leading to a sense of disengagement.
Despite the film's challenges on its opening day, there remains a glimmer of hope for "Vedaa" to improve its box office performance over the extended holiday weekend. The Independence Day release coupled with the upcoming Rakshabandhan holiday on Monday offers the film an extended window to attract audiences. This additional time in theatres could potentially boost its overall earnings, especially if word-of-mouth proves to be positive.
However, "Vedaa" faces stiff competition not only from "Stree 2," which continues to dominate but also from "Khel Khel Mein" and other films that might be released in the subsequent weeks. The film's ability to sustain its box office momentum will depend heavily on how well it can engage viewers during this critical holiday period. If it manages to connect with its target audience, "Vedaa" could see an uptick in its box office collection, helping it to close the gap with its competitors. Nonetheless, it remains to be seen whether "Vedaa" can overcome its initial slow start and achieve the success that its makers had hoped for.*
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