David Dhawan's Final Film Opens with 7.5 crore

The romantic comedy "Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hana Hai," starring Varun Dhawan, Mrunal Thakur, and Pooja Hegde, opened in theatres on Friday to a modest box office start and mixed critical reception. The film, directed by veteran filmmaker David Dhawan, reportedly marks his final project as a director.

Early estimates indicate the film earned approximately 7.5 crore rupees on its opening day from over 9,000 screenings nationwide. This places its debut among the top five openings for a Hindi film this year, though trade analysts noted the figure fell short of initial expectations and below the opening of Dhawan's previous film, "Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari." The film now faces the crucial test of weekend performance and word-of-mouth to improve its commercial prospects.

The film's plot centers on a man, played by Varun Dhawan, whose life becomes complicated when both his estranged wife and current girlfriend announce they are pregnant. The supporting cast includes Jimmy Shergill, Mouni Roy, Maniesh Paul, and cameo appearances by Kriti Sanon and Johnny Lever.

Critical response has been divided. Some reviews praised the film as an unapologetic, energetic throwback to classic...