Kartik Aaryan’s ‘Champion Chandu’ Grows Steadily Over Opening Weekend But Trails ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2’

‘Champion Chandu' Box Office Shows Steady Increase on Weekend

Kartik Aaryan's latest film “Champion Chandu” sees improved ticket sales over its opening weekend, though still trails previous hit “Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2”.

The sports biopic about India's first Paralympic gold medalist Murlikant Petkar, starring Kartik Aaryan in the title role, collected Rs. 11.01 crore on its third day at the box office. This marked a healthy 47% rise from Saturday's collection of Rs. 7 crore, bringing the movie's total domestic earnings to Rs. 24.11 crore so far.

While the slow start on Friday of Rs. 4.75 crore was disappointing, trade analyst Taran Adarsh notes that positive word-of-mouth has driven increased footfall over the weekend. The extended Monday holiday is also expected to boost figures further. However, to truly recover from its lackluster opening, “Champion Chandu” must maintain momentum throughout the coming week.

In comparison, Kartik Aaryan's previous blockbuster “Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2” had made Rs. 55.96 crore over its first three days last year. “Champion Chandu” also lags the opening weekend collections of Kartik's other 2023 hit “Satyaprem Ki Katha”.

Directed by Kabir Khan and jointly produced by Sajid Nadiadwala, the film covers Chandu's inspirational journey from soldier to Paralympic athlete. Starring Kartik Aaryan in a challenging dual role, early reviews have praised the actor's committed performance but found the overall film formulaic. Only time will tell if “Champion Chandu” can find the feet to emerge a success.