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🎬 Debut Disaster? “Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan” Tanks Opening Day! 😢

TL;DR: The much-hyped love story Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan, starring Vikrant Massey and debutante Shanaya Kapoor, opened on July 11, 2025, and grossed just ₹35 lakh on Day 1, with a low 9.9% occupancy in Hindi shows—lagging far behind competitors like Superman (₹7 crore) and Maalik (₹3.35 crore).

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💔 Love Story, Big Loss?

  • The film marks Shanaya Kapoor’s Bollywood debut and is adapted from Ruskin Bond’s story “The Eyes Have It.”

  • With a ₹20 crore budget, expectations were sky-high, but the ₹35 lakh opening is a major letdown for all the producers and distributors.

  • Compared to Maalik and Superman, it totally struggled—Maalik captured ₹3.35 crore and Superman bagged ₹7 crore on Day 1, leaving this love drama far behind.

🎭 Critics React

  • Critics called it “half‑baked” with clichĂŠd writing, and said while Shanaya shows promise, Vikrant Massey’s performance didn’t quite shine.

  • Reviews said Shanaya “makes a confident debut, even if her character doesn’t give her much to work with,” showing glimpses of talent in an otherwise dull script.

⚠️ Tough Competition & Footfalls

  • Released alongside biggies: Superman, Maalik, Sitaare Zameen, Jurassic World Rebirth, and F1 racing specials.

  • Hindi occupancy rate hit just 9.92%—with the worst turnout in morning and afternoon shows, slightly better yet still dull in evening and night slots.

  • The timing also clashed with multiple OTT premieres and cricket, further eating into its audience.

🛤️ Weekend Hopes?

  • Trade experts had predicted ₹50–80 lakh opening but reality was way below.

  • Now everyone’s watching Day 2–3 collections to see if positive word of mouth can pull this sinking ship to safer waters.

  • An OTT premiere on Zee5 might help recover some money, but it’s gonna be an uphill climb.

MediaFx Opinion 💬

Yaar, from people’s side, it’s sad to see a debut film crash like this—especially when so many workers, light boys, costume staff and theatre folks depend on a movie’s success. A ₹20 crore film opening at just ₹35 lakh? That’s a big blow. It shows how the working folks get affected first when a film flops. When big banners spend on glitz but ignore story and people’s tastes, it hurts everyone down the line. We feel real cinema should be made for common people, not just elite circles. Hope audiences give simple love stories a chance, too.

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