Thu Dec 26 13:31:56 UTC 2024: ## Varun Dhawan’s “Bawaal” Underwhelms on Opening Day Despite High Expectations
**Mumbai, December 26:** Varun Dhawan’s much-anticipated action thriller, “Bawaal,” opened to a lukewarm response on Christmas Day, failing to meet the high expectations generated by its pre-release buzz. While the film marked Dhawan’s biggest opening in five years, grossing more than his previous release “Kalank,” it significantly underperformed compared to its box office rival, “Pushpa: The Rule.”
Despite a star-studded cast including Kiara Advani, Jackie Shroff, and Rajpal Yadav, along with a special cameo by Salman Khan, “Bawaal” struggled to compete with the continued success of Allu Arjun’s “Pushpa 2,” which celebrated its 21st day in theaters and continued to dominate box office collections. “Pushpa 2” even outperformed “Bawaal” on its 21st day.
Early estimates suggest “Bawaal” had a considerably lower opening day collection than anticipated, despite the Christmas release date. While some critics praised Dhawan’s performance, the fast-paced storyline, and the action sequences, others criticized it as a scene-by-scene remake of the 2016 Tamil hit “Theri.”
The film’s mixed reviews and strong competition from “Pushpa 2” have left its future box office prospects uncertain. However, industry analysts will be closely monitoring its performance over the extended Christmas-New Year weekend to assess its overall success. Whether “Bawaal” can overcome its sluggish start and gain momentum remains to be seen.
First Piper 