Rajkummar Rao’s Bhool Chuk Maaf Sees Promising Start At Box Office, Outshines Several Big Releases
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After a series of delays and legal drama with cinema chains, Rajkummar Rao and Wamiqa Gabbi’s much-anticipated film Bhool Chuk Maaf finally made it to theatres on May 23, 2025 — and the numbers are in. Despite the hurdles, the film opened with a solid ₹7.20 crore on Day 1, showing strong audience interest.
A Solid Start, But Not a Record Breaker
While the film didn’t smash records like Rajkummar Rao’s own Stree 2, which opened with a massive ₹51 crore, Bhool Chuk Maaf comfortably held its ground against several recent Bollywood releases.
In comparison:
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Kesari Chapter 2 (Akshay Kumar) made ₹7.75 crore
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Jaat (Sunny Deol) earned ₹9.5 crore
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But Bhool Chuk Maaf outperformed The Diplomat (₹4 crore), Deva (₹5.5 crore), and Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video (₹5.5 crore)
Sooraj Pancholi’s Kesari Veer, which released on the same day, saw a disappointing start at just ₹25 lakh — further underlining the decent opening of Bhool Chuk Maaf.
Viewers Show Up, Especially in Metro Cities
The film recorded a nationwide occupancy of 19.36% on its first day. While morning shows had a slow start at 9.4%, the momentum grew steadily, peaking in the evening with 31.27% occupancy.
Cities that showed the most love included:
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Bengaluru: 25%
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Delhi-NCR: 21.5%
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Mumbai: 19.5%
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Pune: 17.75%
Clearly, urban audiences are curious about this quirky mix of comedy, suspense, and heart.
What Works for Bhool Chuk Maaf
Directed by Karan Sharma and backed by Dinesh Vijan’s Maddock Films, the movie blends dark humor with mystery, anchored by a unique storyline and a well-picked supporting cast — including Seema Pahwa, Sanjay Mishra, Zakir Hussain, and Raghubir Yadav.
Rajkummar Rao’s charm and Wamiqa Gabbi’s growing fan base also seem to be driving ticket sales. Even with mixed reviews, word-of-mouth appears to be moderately positive, giving the film a chance to grow over the weekend.
OTT Release on the Horizon
Interestingly, Bhool Chuk Maaf is also expected to release on OTT within the next two weeks — a trend that’s becoming increasingly common. This early digital drop could impact its long-term box office run, but also means a wider audience will get access to it soon.
Final Word
For a film that battled legal issues, shuffled release dates, and had tough competition at the box office, Bhool Chuk Maaf has made a respectable first impression. Whether it can sustain the momentum over the weekend and rise through positive word-of-mouth remains to be seen. But for now, Rajkummar Rao and team can breathe a sigh of relief — audiences are watching.