Indian star Shahid Kapoor's latest film, 'Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya,' has been making waves at the box office since its release on February 9. The romantic comedy, which features Kapoor opposite Kriti Sanon, has earned an impressive $7.8 million worldwide. In India alone, the film has grossed nearly $5 million in just five days, showcasing its popularity among local audiences.
During its opening weekend, 'Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya' recorded a global gross of $6.6 million, with North America contributing around $330,000 on its first day of release. By the following Tuesday, the film had crossed the $1 million mark, further solidifying its success. Additionally, it made $210,000 in the Middle East region and approximately $51,000 in the United Kingdom. Overall, the film's opening global gross collection reached an impressive $1.4 million.
On the second day, 'Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya' continued to perform well, earning a global gross of $2 million. In India, its opening collection amounted to $850,000, which saw a significant increase to $1.2 million in nett collections on Saturday. The following day, the film made nearly $1.4 million in India, bringing its total nett collection in the country to $3.3 million and its gross earnings to $3.9 million over the first weekend.
While 'Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya' has achieved commendable numbers, some film trade experts were hoping for an even better performance as Kapoor returns to his beloved romantic avatar in the movie. Nonetheless, it ranks among the top ten highest-opening Kapoor films in both India and international markets outside India. It is important to note that Kapoor's highest-grossing opening film remains Sandeep Reddy Vanga's 'Kabir Singh,' and Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 'Padmaavat' has his highest worldwide opening weekend score.
'Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya' tells the story of Aryan/Aaru, portrayed by Kapoor, a robotics engineer, who falls in love with a robot named SIFRA, played by Sanon. While the concept of human-machine relationships may seem unique, it is not entirely new in cinema. Films like S Shankar's 'Enthiran' (2010), Alex Garland's 'Ex Machina' (2011), and Spike Jonze's 'Her' (2013) have previously explored similar themes. Even on the small screen, the Hindi TV serial 'Bahu Hamari Rajni Kant' touched upon this concept during its 2016-17 run.
Kapoor's performance in 'Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya' showcases his expertise in the romantic comedy genre, where he has consistently excelled and maintained his popularity. He is supported by veteran actors Dimple Kapadia, Dharmendra, and Rakesh Singh Bedi, who add depth to the narrative. Sanon, once again, proves her acting prowess, delivering a believable and endearing portrayal of a robot.
Despite the star-studded cast and the potential for a unique exploration of man versus machine, emotions versus logic, and the futile pursuit of perfection in a partner, 'Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya' falls into the trap of a predictable Bollywood love story. The plot takes several wrong turns and twists, ultimately centering around a young, wealthy man's struggle to convince his Indian family to accept his chosen partner.
Directed and co-written by Amit Joshi and Aradhana Sah, 'Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya' misses the opportunity to truly delve into thought-provoking themes. Instead, it becomes a typical Bollywood saga, hindering its potential to leave a lasting impact on audiences.
Ultimately, the success of 'Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya' lies in its ability to entertain fans of Shahid Kapoor's romantic style, while the box office numbers showcase the enduring popularity of his films.
