Director Abhishek Kapoor's much-anticipated period drama Azaad has had a disappointing start at the box office. The film, which was heavily marketed as the acting debut of Aaman Devgan, the nephew of actor Ajay Devgn and Rasha Thadani, the daughter of Raveena Tandon, opened to low numbers.
According to Sacnilk, Azaad earned just Rs 1.5 crore on its opening day, with poor occupancy rates throughout the day. The morning shows had a meagre 5% occupancy and the evening shows performed slightly better with a 26% occupancy rate.
Abhishek, who has previously introduced newcomers such as Sushant Singh Rajput in Kai Po Che and Sara Ali Khan in Kedarnath, faced a tough challenge with Azaad's debut. While Kai Po Che and Kedarnath both went on to become hits, Azaad seems struggling to find its footing.
In comparison, Kai Po Che, released in 2013, made Rs 4.5 crore on its opening day and went on to earn around Rs 50 crore during its domestic run. Similarly, Kedarnath, released five years later, made Rs 6.8 crore on opening day and eventually grossed Rs 66 crore domestically.
Abhishek Kapoor's last directorial, Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui, starring Ayushmann Khurrana, also underperformed, minting Rs 28 crore after a Rs 3.5 crore opening. With Azaad's disappointing debut, the film has become his lowest-ever opening.
The film clashed with Kangana Ranaut's long-delayed political drama Emergency, which fared only slightly better, earning Rs 2.5 crore on its opening day.
