Azaad box office collection day 1: Director Abhishek Kapoor’s new film, the period drama Azaad, opened to low numbers at the box office. The film was marketed as the acting debut of Aaman Devgan, the nephew of Ajay Devgn, and Rasha Thadani, the daughter of Raveena Tandon. Director Kapoor previously ‘launched’ newcomers such as Sushant Singh Rajput in the film Kai Po Che, and Sara Ali Khan in the film Kedarnath. While both those films emerged as hits, Azaad will have a difficult time recovering from its disappointing debut.
According to industry tracker Sacnilk, Azaad made Rs 1.5 crore on day one. The movie reported poor occupancy rates throughout the day. Morning shows registered an occupancy rate of just 5%, while the night shows saw 26% occupancy. The film was marketed heavily, with both young actors being taken to numerous events across the country. Their illustrious family members also joined in. Rasha Thadani has been a paparazzi favourite since before her acting debut was even announced.
Also read – Azaad movie review: Rasha Thadani, Aaman Devgan wasted in moth-balled film
By comparison, Kai Po Che made Rs 4.5 crore on its opening day, Rs 18 crore in its first weekend, and around Rs 50 crore during its domestic run. All of this happened in 2013. Released five years later, Kedarnath made Rs 6.8 crore on opening day, Rs 27 crore in its first weekend, and Rs 66 crore in total, according to Bollywood Hungama. Kapoor’s last film was the Ayushmann Khurrana-starrer Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui, which was seen as a disappointment after making Rs 28 crore domestically after a Rs 3.5 crore opening.
Azaad is the filmmaker’s lowest-ever debut, and an inauspicious start for star-kids Rasha and Aaman. The movie opened alongside Kangana Ranaut’s long-delayed Emergency, which performed only marginally better, with a Rs 2.5 crore debut. Azaad also has to contend with mediocre response. In her review, the Indian Express’ Shubhra Gupta wrote, “Why are such films still being made in 2025? And is Abhishek Kapoor, who made the terrific ‘Kai Po Che’ and ‘Rock On’, really the director of this mothballed exercise?”
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