It was not quite the blockbuster launch David Dhawan’s fans were hoping for, but Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai has held its own. The romantic comedy, which hit theatres on June 5, 2026, brought in Rs 23.75 crore net in India and Rs 37.30 crore worldwide over its first three days.

For a film carrying the weight of being the veteran director’s final outing behind the camera, it is a number that will bring some relief, even if it falls short of the big-ticket opener the makers may have envisioned.

Starring Varun Dhawan, Mrunal Thakur, and Pooja Hegde, the film got a mixed reception from critics and casual viewers alike, though families and fans of old-school Bollywood comedy seem to have warmed up to it as the weekend wore on.

Opening day struggles and a slow start

Day 1 told a cautious story. Per Sacnilk, the film opened to Rs 7.50 crore net — a number that would have raised eyebrows in the Dhawan household, given the director’s track record of crowd-pleasing openers.

The makers had reportedly slashed ticket prices by 50 percent on early shows to drive footfalls, but it did not move the needle as much as expected. Reviews were not kind either, with many pointing to stale humour, clunky dialogue, and a screenplay that felt like it belonged to a different era.

According to Koimoi, the film did, however, surpass the global lifetime collections of eight Bollywood releases of 2026 on its opening day itself, including titles such as Tu Yaa Main, Daadi Ki Shaadi, and Do Deewane Seher Mein.

Weekend recovery and overall numbers

Things looked up on Saturday and Sunday. According to official updates tracked by Koimoi, the film earned Rs 9.10 crore net on Day 2, registering a 5 percent growth over its opening day, and became the third-highest-grossing romantic release of 2026 in Bollywood within 48 hours of its release.

The momentum carried into Sunday as well. As per Sacnilk, the film collected Rs 8.50 crore on Day 3, an 8 to 10 percent spike over Saturday, wrapping its opening weekend at Rs 23.75 crore nett at the Indian box office.

The film collected Rs 28.8 crore India gross across 26,510 shows in three days, with total footfalls of 7.30 lakh. On the international front, the film collected Rs 3 crore overseas on Day 3, taking its total overseas gross to Rs 8.50 crore and its worldwide collection to Rs 37.30 crore.

The film also recorded its highest occupancy in Chennai at 57.3 percent on Sunday, while overall Hindi occupancy stood at 26.75 percent. With competition from pan-Indian release Peddi and other ongoing titles, the film’s trajectory in the coming weekdays will be closely watched. Reports suggest that the film is expected to premiere on ZEE5 approximately six weeks after its theatrical release, likely in August 2026.