‘Khel Khel Mein’ Box Office Verdict: Was Akshay Kumar’s Film Able To Recover After Disastrous Start? | Exclusive

A still from 'Khel Khel Mein'

Akshay Kumar’s ‘Khel Khel Mein’, which opened in theatres on August 15, has failed to live up to expectations at the box office despite receiving decent reviews. The film marked the mass hero’s return to comedy, a genre he redefined with his work in films such as ‘Welcome’ and ‘Hera Pheri’, which helped it create a buzz among fans prior to its release. This, however, did not help it at the box office as it underperformed in mass markets and failed to hold its own against ‘Stree 2’.

Akshay Kumar’s ‘Khel Khel Mein’ Fails To Impress At The Box Office

‘Khel Khel Mein’ hasn’t been able to live up to expectations at the box office despite the initial hype and positive word-of-mouth. The film, shot on a budget of Rs 100 crore, got off to a slow start and netted nearly Rs 5 crore on the first day. It then witnessed good growth in the second week. Despite this, it is yet to touch the Rs 30 crore mark at the box office. According to Atul Miohan, a trade analyst, this performance is not satisfactory given the budget.

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“The verdict will be below average as this is an expensive film. The performance does not do justice to the budget. That said, it has found some audience in the metros and its main centres like Mumbai,” he told NewsX

Atul added that the ‘class film’ tag limited its appeal in the mass markets.

About ‘Khel Khel Mein’

Directed by Mudassir Aziz, ‘Khel Khel Mein’ is an adaptation of ‘Perfect Strangers’. The Hindi film revolves around Dr. Rishabh Malik (Akshay Kumar) as he reunites with old friends before a major wedding. He is joined by his wife, Vartika (Vaani Kapoor), and their gang of friends: Kabir (Fardeen Khan), Harpeet (Ammy Virk), Samar (Aditya Seal), Happy (Taapsee Pannu), and Naina (Pragya Jaiswal). While the festivities begin on a good note, things take a turn when they engage in a seemingly innocent game involving their mobile phones. The plot then delves into the ensuing turmoil as hidden truths come to light.

‘Khel Khel Mein’ opened in theatres on August 15.