Maalik Box Office Day 1: Rajkummar Rao Film Is Off To A Slow Start, Earns Rs 3.48 Cr
Despite Rao's intense screen presence and the buzz around his role departure from typical characters, Maalik could not match the strong opening of his previous hit Bhool Chuk Maaf.
Maalik, starring Rajkummar Rao, opened in cinemas on July 11, but its first-day box office performance fell short of expectations. The gritty gangster drama earned Rs 3.48 crore on Day 1, according to data from trade tracking portal Sacnilk. Despite Rao's intense screen presence and the buzz around his role departure from typical characters, Maalik could not match the strong opening of his previous hit Bhool Chuk Maaf, which collected Rs 7 crore on its first day.
The opening collection of Maalik also trailed behind The Diplomat, John Abraham's recent political thriller that raked in Rs 4 crore on its first day. However, the film still fared better than Vikrant Massey and Shanaya Kapoor's Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan, which opened with a disappointing Rs 32 lakh.
Directed by Pulkit, Maalik features Rajkummar Rao in the titular role and marks another addition to the actor's diverse filmography. The film also stars Bengali cinema legend Prosenjit Chatterjee, former Miss World Manushi Chhillar, and Saurabh Sachdeva. Supporting roles are played by Saurabh Shukla, Anshumaan Pushkar, Swanand Kirkire, Rajendra Gupta, and Baljinder Kaur. Despite a powerful cast, the film has received mixed reviews.
The News18 review states, 'Directed by Pulkit and produced by Kumar Taurani and Jay Shewakramani, Maalik tried hard to be a gritty gangster epic. But it looks like there's only a half-hearted attempt made at telling the audience how Rajkummar Rao's character turned into Maalik… The film quickly turned out to be a snooze fest 10 minutes into it as the makers used unnecessary fillers to complete the 2.5-hour movie."
Written by Jyotsana Nath and Pulkit, the film was also criticised for weak dialogues and a confusing plot. While Rao's performance has earned some appreciation, the film's lack of gripping storytelling seems to have affected its box office appeal.
First Published:
July 12, 2025, 01:07 IST
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