The box office performance of Dhamaal 4, the latest installment in the beloved comedy franchise, has been a mixed bag. While the film opened to decent numbers on Friday, collecting ₹14 crore net across 10,669 shows with 24% occupancy, it failed to build on that momentum on Saturday, earning only ₹10.50 crore net from 7,996 shows with 26% occupancy. This brings the India net collection to ₹24.50 crore after two days, a modest performance compared to the franchise's previous entries.
One of the most interesting aspects of Dhamaal 4's performance is its comparison to other Ajay Devgn releases. While it has fallen behind De De Pyaar De 2, which collected ₹12.25 crore net on its second day, it has performed better than Son of Sardaar 2, which collected ₹8.25 crore net on its second day. However, the biggest comparison remains Total Dhamaal, which collected a massive ₹20.40 crore net on its second day and went on to become a blockbuster hit with a lifetime net collection of ₹155.67 crore.
The film's performance has been criticized for its lack of originality, with the Hindustan Times writing, "Overall, for a film called Dhamaal, there's little fun to be had. It recycles its story, music, and even its brand of comedy, hoping nostalgia will do the heavy lifting. It doesn't. The only thing buried under 'M ke neeche' is whatever made the first Dhamaal work."
Despite the mixed reception, the makers of Dhamaal 4 have hinted that the franchise is far from over. A post-credit scene in the film reportedly confirmed that Dhamaal 5 is in the works, with Farhad Samji set to write the next instalment. This suggests that the franchise has a strong following and that the makers are confident in its ability to continue generating box office success.
In my opinion, the mixed performance of Dhamaal 4 is a testament to the challenges of maintaining a successful franchise. While the film may have lacked originality, it is still a part of a beloved series that has a strong following. The fact that the makers are already planning for a fifth instalment suggests that they believe in the franchise's potential to continue generating box office success. However, it will be interesting to see if they can build on the success of the previous films and create something truly memorable.
