Sooraj Pancholi’s ‘Kesari Veer’ fails to cross Rs 2 crore mark in Week 1

Sooraj Pancholi, Suniel Shetty, and Vivek Oberoi’s latest action drama Kesari Veer has turned out to be a non-starter at the box office. Despite its theme and a promising cast, the film failed to gain any significant traction in its opening week, struggling to even touch the Rs 2 crore mark in India. Over its first seven days, Kesari Veer collected a total of Rs 1.53 crore, a disappointing figure for a film that was expected to appeal to audiences in mass belts and smaller towns.The film opened on a dull note with just Rs 25 lakh on its first Friday. Though there was a marginal rise over the weekend, with Saturday and Sunday bringing in Rs 30 lakh and Rs 35 lakh respectively, the growth was too limited to make any real impact. As expected, the collections dipped sharply on Monday, falling by nearly 49% to Rs 18 lakh. The trend remained weak through the weekdays, with Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday adding Rs 15 lakh, Rs 16 lakh and Rs 14 lakh respectively as per Sacnilk. The cumulative total stood at Rs 1.53 crore by the end of its first week, making it one of the year’s most disappointing box office performers.Kesari Veer is set in the 14th century and revolves around the valor of Rajput warrior Hamirji Gohil, who defends the Somnath temple against the Tughlaq Empire. Suniel Shetty portrays Vegdaji Bhil, a brave Bhil warrior. The cast also includes Vivek Oberoi as Zafar Khan and Akanksha Sharma as Rajal and the film is directed by Prince Dhiman.The film has generally received negative reviews, the critics pointed out flaws in the screenplay, visual effects, and overall execution.Kesari Veer's underwhelming box office performance highlights the challenges of creating compelling historical dramas. Despite a notable cast and grand ambitions, the film failed to resonate with audiences, emphasizing the importance of strong storytelling and execution in cinema.The film was Sooraj Pancholi’s first film after he got acquitted in the Jiah Khan suicide case in 2023. It was like a fresh start for him in the industry though he made his debut in 2015 with Salman Khan backed Hero with Athiya Shetty- the film was directed by Nikkhil Advani. The film was an official remake of Subhash Gahi- Jackie Shroff and Meenakshi Seshadri’s Hero which was released in 1983With such poor numbers in its first week, the film now faces an uphill battle for survival at the box office. Unless a miracle turnaround occurs, Kesari Veer is likely to wrap up its lifetime run well under ₹2 crore, making it yet another forgettable entry in the careers of its lead stars.