Gangubai Kathiawadi box office Day 1: Alia Bhatt's film breaks pandemic era records with its opening day collections

Alia Bhatt starrer Gangubai Kathiawadi is off to a great start at the box office. The Sanjay Leela Bhansali -directed film became the third-highest Bollywood opener on Friday behind Akshay Kumar 's Sooryavanshi and Ranveer Singh ’s ’ 83 .

Gnagubai Kathiawadi is set in the ‘60s and based on the life of the ‘mafia queen of Mumbai’. The movie has seen a lot of controversies prior to release with a section of the audience also uncertain of Alia Bhatt’s casting in the film. However, all doubt was cast aside as promising reviews poured in on Friday morning and Alia’s performance was called the highlight of the film.

On Day 1, Gangubai Kathiawadi earned Rs. 10.50 crores (nett) in India. The film did especially well in the Mumbai circuit and the collections of the film are definitely better than the opening day numbers of Alia’s last big hit as a solo lead Raazi which went on to earn over Rs. 100 crores at the box office in its lifetime. Raazi opened on Day 1 to Rs. 7.53 crores at the box office in the pre-pandemic era where as Gangubai has managed to beat the numbers despite 50% occupancy in cinemas.

The movie is Alia and Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s debut collaboration and a big win for the actress who has successfully managed to bring back the audiences to cinemas post the third wave of the pandemic. Gangubai Kathiawadi is the biggest Bollywood opener in the past two months which has been overshadowed once again by the Covid-19 threat. The movie’s release was preceded by Rajkummar Rao and Bhumi Pednekar ’s Badhaai Do .

Not many female led films have made it to cinemas in the pandemic era. Before Gangubai, Kangana Ranaut ’s Thalaivii was the last big release in cinemas last year which barely managed to get by at the box office closing its lifetime collections at under Rs 5 crores.

Gangubai Kathiawadi is expected to see some more good days the box office and definitely close its opening weekend on a strong note at the end of Sunday.