Bobby Deol’s much-anticipated drama ‘Bandar’ has got off to a subdued start at the Indian box office. The film that also opened to a low screen count, could not seem to get its footing amid a crowded box office.Released on June 5, the film collected an estimated Rs 50 lakh net in India on its opening day and earned approximately Rs 60 lakh gross domestically from 1,365 shows, states a report on Sacnilk. The film recorded a rather modest collection amid stiff competition from other major releases that also hit theatres on Friday, June 5.The film’s comparatively limited screen count and lower pre-release buzz were said to be some of the key factors behind its slow start. The film faced direct competition from Varun Dhawan’s ‘Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai’ and Ram Charan’s multilingual action drama ‘Peddi’, both of which attracted significantly larger audiences on opening day.Leading the Hindi box office race was ‘Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai’, which collected an estimated Rs 7.50 crore net across 9,081 shows on Friday. The film’s India gross stood at approximately Rs 9 crore, while overseas markets contributed an additional Rs 2 crore, taking its worldwide gross collection to an estimated Rs 11 crore. The family entertainer has drawn considerable attention as the final directorial venture of veteran filmmaker David Dhawan, who reunites with son Varun Dhawan for the project.Meanwhile, Ram Charan’s ‘Peddi’ also enjoyed a strong opening weekend launch. The Hindi version of the film earned an estimated Rs 3 crore net on Friday, contributing to the film’s overall India net collection of approximately Rs 51 crore. The Telugu version remained the primary driver of the film’s performance, accounting for Rs 47.20 crore, while Tamil, Malayalam and Kannada releases collectively contributed around Rs 80 lakh.Despite its slow start, ‘Bandar’ has received strong support from members of the film fraternity and Bobby’s family. Sunny Deol took to Instagram on Friday to cheer on his younger brother following the film’s release. Sharing the teaser of the film, he wrote, “Loooking sooo gooood my Lord Bobby. #Bandar in cinemas on 5th June.”Actor Esha Deol also praised Bobby’s performance in the film. Sharing a photograph with Bobby and his wife Tanya Deol on Instagram Stories, she wrote, “You are in the best form ever! Undoubtedly the finest actor today. Enduring and vulnerable! Way to go, bhaiya.”She also encouraged audiences to support the film in theatres, adding, “Go watch Bandar!”The film features an ensemble cast including Bobby Deol, Sanya Malhotra, Raj B Shetty, Sapna Pabbi, Saba Azad, Riddhi Sen, Jitendra Joshi, Indrajeet and Nagesh Bhonsle.
