Emraan Hashmi’s action thriller Ground Zero has made a disappointing start at the box office on its opening day. According to early reports from Sacnilk, the film has earned approximately ₹0.29 crore India net on its first day. This figure represents a disastrous beginning for the Excel Entertainment production.
Opening Day Performance
The film’s poor performance was somewhat anticipated, as pre-release buzz remained minimal despite its compelling real-life story. Morning trends indicated that Ground Zero would struggle to cross the ₹1 crore mark on day one. The movie sold just over 4,000 tickets in the top three national chains (PVR Inox and Cinepolis) in final advance bookings.
Film business expert Rohit Jaiswal had predicted that the movie would collect between ₹70-90 lakhs on its opening day. However, the actual numbers appear to be even lower than these modest expectations.
Factors Affecting Performance
Several factors have contributed to Ground Zero’s underwhelming start:
- The film faces stiff competition from holdover releases like Kesari Chapter 2: The Untold Story of Jallianwala Bagh starring Akshay Kumar and Jaat featuring Sunny Deol.
- It has also clashed with the re-release of the 1994 cult classic Andaz Apna Apna, which has returned to theaters after 31 years.
- The release timing is unfortunate, coming just days after a shocking terror attack in Kashmir’s Pahalgam that reportedly claimed 26 civilian lives.
About the Film
Ground Zero is based on the true story of BSF officer Narendra Nath Dhar Dubey (portrayed by Emraan Hashmi), who led a crucial operation resulting in the elimination of terrorist Rana Tahir Nadeem, known as Ghazi Baba, in 2003. The film was made with a reported budget of ₹20-25 crore.
Directed by Tejas Prabha Vijay Deoskar and produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani, the film also stars Sai Tamhankar and Zoya Hussain in significant roles.
Future Prospects
With such a poor opening, Ground Zero will need exceptional word-of-mouth and strong holds over the weekend to recover. The film’s performance on Saturday and Sunday will be crucial in determining its overall box office fate. As things stand, it’s likely to become Emraan Hashmi’s second lowest opener in the post-COVID era after Chehre.