Box Office Watch: ‘Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari’ Inches Up on Day 10

Mumbai, October 12, 2025 — The Varun Dhawan–Janhvi Kapoor romantic comedy Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari has posted a modest uptick on Day 10 of its theatrical run, as soft weekend footfalls and family audiences help stabilise its collections. While the rise is incremental, it reflects resilience amid intense competition and mixed critical reception. Observers say the film’s survival over the coming week will depend heavily on word-of-mouth traction, weekday holds, and strategic marketing bolsters.

Below is a holistic look at where the film stands, its challenges, potential upside, and what to watch in the days to come.

Film Overview & Release Context

Creative & Cast Snapshot

Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari is a 2025 Hindi-language romantic comedy written and directed by Shashank Khaitan, and produced by Dharma Productions and Mentor Disciple Entertainment.
The film stars Varun Dhawan and Janhvi Kapoor in central roles, with supporting performances by Sanya Malhotra, Rohit Saraf, Maniesh Paul, and Akshay Oberoi.
The narrative revolves around romance, misunderstandings, ex-relations, and a wedding setup involving identity play and emotional reckonings.
In promotional cycles, the film’s trailer promised a blend of humor, romance, drama, and wedding chaos — essentially a masala rom-com with emotional beats.
One promotional touchpoint: viewers debated why Sanya Malhotra was not featured in the visuals of the new song “Perfect”, despite her significant role in the film.
Director Shashank Khaitan, known for his quirky, desi-flavored romantic films, sees this movie as a continuation of his trademark style combining tradition and whimsy.

Release & Opening Context

The film released theatrically on October 2, 2025, coinciding with the Dussehra festival — a slotted advantage in Bollywood calendar cycles.
It opened against Kantara: Chapter 1, a high-performing film that would dominate box-office conversations and metrically overshadow many contemporaries.
In its first week, the film crossed the ₹40.75 crore net mark by Day 8.
On Day 7, the film added about ₹2.60 crore, bringing its 7-day total to ~₹41.57 crore net.
On Day 8, the film’s total rose past ₹40 crore net (i.e. ~₹40.75 crore) with a ~₹2 crore day’s collection.
Day 6 performance was relatively stable: ~₹3.60 crore collection, after earlier days of stronger opening numbers.
Some trade trackers frame the film as inching toward a ₹50 crore net lifetime target, given modest expectations.

Thus, by Day 10, the film is entering a critical phase: sustaining enough momentum to cross thresholds or risk flattening prematurely.

Day 10 and Recent Trends

While exact Day 10 figures may not yet be public from all trade trackers, the reported “modest uptick” suggests the film is not in free fall — rather holding or inching ahead on weekend support. The uptick is likely driven by:

Weekend footfalls in smaller towns and tier-2/3 markets, where competition from big films might be comparatively lower.
Family audiences that prefer to see romantic comedies collectively on relaxed weekend outings.
Playlist traction & music popularity continuing to draw spontaneous interest (especially among youth).
Targeted marketing pushes by producers to remind audiences in weaker markets to catch the film before it exits screens.

However, the film faces headwinds:

OTT / streaming diversion: Many potential viewers may wait for the digital release, reducing urgency to see theatrical.
Competing releases / box office crowding: Big films like Kantara overshadow it in screens and marketing.
Mixed reviews and limited critical acclaim: The film’s reception has been uneven, which reduces strong word-of-mouth catalysts.

Review excerpts illustrate that while the film is colourful, funny, and occasionally charming, critics also note it fails to make a deep emotional impact and sometimes feels predictable.

One reviewer compared it to a social media reel — entertaining in the moment, but unlikely to linger in memory.

Thus, the minor Day 10 uptick may be a sign of stubborn resilience rather than breakout momentum.

Comparisons, Benchmarks & Trade Observations

Relative Performance vs Kantara

Kantara: Chapter 1 has been a dominant box office force, crossing ₹300+ crore gross across India — making the film an asymmetric competitor.
In Hindi circuits, Kantara has surpassed Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari in terms of Hindi-market share and collections.
The director, Shashank Khaitan, addressed the clash by expressing that he isn’t overly focused on box office numbers and believes his film has “limitless” potential in its own narrative space.

Romantic Comedy Benchmarks for 2025

Trade watchers have flagged that Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari is in contention among the top romantic grossers of 2025 — aiming to edge into the #4 or #5 slots in that subgenre.
The film’s first week performance places it ahead of some contemporaries (e.g. Param Sundari, Metro In Dino) in romantic film ranking, though falling short of blockbuster romance benchmarks.

Screen Count, Territory Mix & Exhibitor Feedback

Exhibitors in tier-2 and tier-3 cities report better occupancy compared to metros for certain evening shows, where local audiences appear more open to rom-com fare absent high-ticket blockbusters.
Metro cinemas and multiplexes may have seen softer footfalls, given multiplex audiences tend to gravitate toward event films (action, big franchises) rather than lighter romantic fare in crowded seasons.
The film likely benefits from a wide release pattern across smaller circuits where the competition is less intense.

What Happens Next: Key Variables & Scenarios

Variants in Box Office Trajectory

Moderate Upside, Crossing ₹50–55 Crore Net
If the film holds weekday numbers in core territories (~₹1–1.5 crore net/weekday) and picks up minor weekend boosts in buffer markets, it may cross ₹50–55 crore net or more.
Plateau / Slow Down
If weekday drops are steep (30–40 %) and competition/screen attrition intensifies, the film may plateau around ₹45–50 crore.
Accelerated Recovery (Unlikely but Possible)
A surprise positive word-of-mouth wave or a tie-in event (festival holiday, music performance, new song launch) could reignite interest in the latter half of Week 2, though this is less probable given the mixed reviews.

Determinants That Will Shape Outcome

Word-of-mouth & audience sentiment
The true litmus test will be whether viewers who see the film recommend it, especially across non-metro markets.
Screen retention & access
Whether cinemas maintain sufficient screen counts vs. replacing it with newer releases.
Marketing pushes & discounts
Producers may deploy price cuts, festive tie-ins, or local promotions to coax viewers into theatres.
Music / soundtrack momentum
If songs continue to trend on streaming playlists or social media reels, they can drive incremental traction.
Weekend vs weekday resilience
If weekdays hold decently, cumulative gains will accrue. If declines are steep midweek, growth will stall.

Potential Risks

New releases / crowding: New Hindi or regional films entering may cannibalize screenings and attention.
OTT leak / early streaming buzz: If buzz shifts audiences to waiting for streaming rather than theatrical.
Critical backlash or social media fatigue: If negative feedback dominates in regional markets, it can discourage future turnout.
Inconsistent distribution / marketing lapses: Without consistent push in hinterland markets, momentum could sputter unevenly.

Analysis & Interpretation

The small uptick on Day 10 is not a guarantee of a strong run—but it does show the film isn’t collapsing outright.
Given the film’s scale, modest expectations and rom-com genre, it may well be targeting a steady performer status rather than blockbuster.
The fact that Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari is being called Varun Dhawan’s second-lowest grosser (after Baby John) signals the career headwinds the actor may currently face.
Despite that, it has shown glimmers of resilience in non-metro territories and via its musical traction.
In the modern environment, rom-coms face steep competition from OTT and genre diversification; theatrical success often depends on novelty, strong USP, or cult fandom.
From a trade perspective, films like this are a litmus test of whether audiences still support mid-tier romantic entertainers in crowded release seasons.

Conclusion

Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari finds itself at a delicate crossroads on Day 10. The modest uptick suggests belief among remaining audiences, but it must translate into stronger weekday holds and continued visibility to avoid flattening prematurely. Whether it ultimately becomes a “steady romantic performer” or a footnote in Varun Dhawan’s box office narrative will depend on how well the makers leverage remaining weeks, marketing, and word-of-mouth.

In a season where big blockbusters dominate headlines, films like Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari offer a revealing case study in how romantic comedies fare in the current theatrical ecosystem — where genre classics compete with event spectacles, and success is often measured in durability, not explosive opening.

#BoxOffice #Bollywood #VarunDhawan #JanhviKapoor #Cinema