The romantic drama 'Chand Mera Dil' featuring Ananya Panday and Lakshya has concluded its first week at the box office on a disappointing note, failing to cross the ₹20 crore mark domestically. The film, which opened in theatres last week, has struggled to draw audiences despite a wide release across multiplexes nationwide.
Industry analysts attribute the lacklustre performance to predominantly negative reviews from critics, who found the narrative unconvincing and the chemistry between the lead pair underwhelming. The film faced stiff competition from holdover releases and a growing preference among younger audiences for streaming content over theatrical experiences.
Box office tracking portals indicate that the film witnessed a significant drop in footfall after its opening weekend, with occupancy rates falling below 15 per cent in most circuits by midweek. Smaller centres, including those in Bihar and eastern India, showed particularly weak responses, with several single-screen theatres replacing the film with regional offerings by day five.
The underwhelming performance marks another setback for Bollywood's younger generation of actors, who continue to face challenges in establishing strong theatrical pulls. Trade experts suggest the film may struggle to recover its production and marketing costs, potentially leading to an early transition to digital platforms within the coming weeks.