In a surprising turn of events at the box office, Vikram Bhatt’s horror sequel ‘Haunted 3D: Echoes of the Past’ has emerged as the top-performing Hindi film among the four major releases that hit theatres on June 12. The film outperformed higher-profile, star-driven films including Imtiaz Ali’s Main Vaapas Aaunga, Kangana Ranaut’s Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata, and Manoj Bajpayee’s Governor: The Silent Saviour .
The success of the horror thriller is particularly notable given that it arrived with minimal promotional buzz and faced a crowded marketplace .
Day 1 Box Office Collection: The Full Breakdown
According to data from the trade tracking portal Sacnilk, here is how the four major Hindi releases performed on their opening day :
- 1st Place: ‘Haunted 3D: Echoes of the Past’ – Rs 2.50 crore net (Highest among all releases)
- 2nd Place: ‘Main Vaapas Aaunga’ – Rs 1.15 crore net (Ranked 2nd)
- 3rd Place: ‘Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata’ – Rs 1.00 crore net
- 4th Place: ‘Governor: The Silent Saviour’ – Rs 0.90 crore net
Haunted 3D: The Surprise Leader
The Vikram Bhatt-directed horror sequel earned approximately Rs 2.50 crore net in India on its first day, with an India gross collection of about Rs 2.95 crore . This figure is particularly impressive as it nearly matches the opening day collection of the original 2011 film Haunted 3D, which had earned Rs 2.67 crore .
What makes this performance remarkable is that the film achieved this despite facing significant obstacles. It has been reportedly embroiled in a legal dispute that has restricted its release in major national multiplex chains, with national chains contributing only about 25% of its Day 1 revenue. The film compensated for this by drawing strong footfalls in smaller single-screen theatres and B/C centres .
Made on an estimated budget of Rs 15 crore, the film stars Mahaakshay Chakraborty (Mimoh Chakraborty), Chetna Pande, and Hemant Pandey in pivotal roles. It is produced by Anand Pandit Motion Pictures in association with Screamer and presented by Mahesh Bhatt .
Main Vaapas Aaunga: Solid Start Despite Competition
Imtiaz Ali’s period romantic drama, featuring an ensemble cast including Diljit Dosanjh, Sharvari, Vedang Raina, and Naseeruddin Shah, opened with Rs 1.15 crore net from approximately 2,302 shows across the country . The India gross collection for the film stands at approximately Rs 1.38 crore .
The film, set against the backdrop of the 1947 Partition, received positive reviews for its emotional storytelling and the performances of its cast . However, the strong competition from other releases appears to have impacted its opening day numbers.
The overall occupancy for the film stood at 12.22%, with morning shows opening at 5.92% and night shows peaking at 18.23% . Region-wise, Chennai emerged as the best-performing centre for the film, recording 33% occupancy across 7 shows .
Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata: Decent Opening for Kangana Ranaut’s Film
The Kangana Ranaut-led biographical drama, inspired by the heroic efforts of nurses at Cama Hospital during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, collected approximately Rs 1 crore net on its opening day. The film was screened across 2,181 shows and recorded an overall occupancy of 11.85% .
The film’s performance showed a steady upward trend through the day. After a weak start in the morning shows with just 3.77% occupancy, the numbers improved in the afternoon shows to 12%, before the night shows peaked at 18.69% . This suggests growing audience interest through word-of-mouth as the day progressed.
The film is directed by Manoj Tapadia and also features a supporting cast including actors portraying the brave hospital staff who saved over 300 patients during the terrorist attack .
Governor: Slow Start for Manoj Bajpayee’s Political Drama
Manoj Bajpayee’s political thriller Governor: The Silent Saviour, which revisits India’s 1991 balance of payments crisis, opened with Rs 90 lakh net from approximately 1,427 shows nationwide . The film’s India gross collection stands at Rs 1.08 crore .
Despite receiving praise from critics for Bajpayee’s performance and the film’s historical narrative, the film struggled to attract audiences on its opening day. The crowded box office, featuring nine simultaneous releases across genres, significantly divided audience attention .
The film is directed by Chinmay Mandlekar and follows the story of A. Ramanan, a character inspired by former RBI Governor S. Venkitaramanan, who navigated the nation through one of its most severe economic crises .
A Crowded Box Office Weekend
The four major Hindi releases were not the only films competing for audience attention on June 12. The box office also saw the release of several other films across genres, including The Narmada Story, Heer Sara, Scary Movie, Disclosure Day, and Backrooms . Additionally, previous week’s releases like Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai and Bandar continued to run in cinemas, further fragmenting the audience .
This intense competition for screen space and audience footfalls made the June 12 release date one of the most crowded of the year, presenting a significant challenge for all the new releases .
What It Means
The box office results from Day 1 reveal several interesting trends. The success of Haunted 3D demonstrates that horror continues to be a genre that can punch above its weight at the Indian box office . The film’s ability to attract audiences despite restricted multiplex release suggests a loyal fan base for the franchise and the genre.
For Main Vaapas Aaunga, the positive critical reception may lead to stronger weekend numbers if word-of-mouth spreads among the film’s target audience . The film’s performance in the coming days will be crucial in determining its long-term prospects.
Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata and Governor will both rely heavily on audience feedback and weekend growth to improve their theatrical trajectories . For Governor, which holds the fourth position among the releases, a significant jump over the weekend will be necessary to recover its investment.
