Manoj Bajpayee-starrer 'Suraj Pe Mangal Bhari' unlikely to open on a good note at the box office

The Manoj Bajpayee-starrer Suraj Pe Mangal Bhari, which hit the screens on Sunday, is unlikely to open on a good note at the box office as it is the major movie to release theatrically under the new normal. Theatres in most states have reopened after the lockdown and are operating at 50 per cent capacity, making it quite difficult for the film to make much of an impact. The movie has not been promoted too well and this adds to the worries of the makers.

Speaking to DH, trade analyst Joginder Tuteja says that Suraj Pe Mangal Bhari might collect between Rs 25 lakh and 50 lakh on the opening day if it clicks with the target audience.

"There is a lot of uncertainty because of the pandemic and some people are still not okay with visiting theatres. I would say that the film has made a decent impact (at the box office) and if it collects between Rs 25 lakh and Rs 50 lakh on the opening day," he adds.

Suraj Pe Mangal Bhari has received mixed to underwhelming reviews with most critics describing it as mildly engaging. The Word of Mouth (WoM) is decent and this might help it remain stable on the weekdays.

It is unlikely to face any competition from the week's other major release Sir. According to Tuteja, the Tillotama Shome-starrer is a 'festival film' for a niche audience and will not find wide patronage.

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"Sir will pose no threat to the movie. It is a small film that might make an impact in the OTT (digital) space," he adds.

Either way, the box office response to the film is expected to go a long way in determining the future of films that failed to hit screens due to the Covid-219 pandemic. If the comedy-drama exceeds expectations in the long run, it might help theatres find their mojo. If the film, however, proves to a disaster, several films are expected to opt for a 'direct to digital' release as opposed to a theatrical one.

The Abhishek Sharma-directed Suraj Pe Mangal Bhari has a 'hatke' storyline that revolves around the adventures of a wedding detective. It features a stellar cast that includes Punjabi actor Diljit Dosanjh, Fatima Sana Shaikh and Manoj Pahwa.