Varun Dhawan's Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai Dominates Box Office on Opening Day

On June 5, Varun Dhawan's romantic drama *Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai* was released alongside Bobby Deol's *Bandar*. The box office results revealed a significant lead for Dhawan's film, which earned approximately ₹7.50 crore on its opening day, while *Bandar* struggled with just ₹50 lakh. This article explores the performances of both films, their earnings, and the implications for future box office success.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jun 6, 2026, 09:56 IST

Box Office Showdown: Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai vs. Bandar

The much-anticipated film *Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai*, featuring Bollywood actor Varun Dhawan, hit theaters on June 5, coinciding with Bobby Deol's *Bandar*. The initial box office competition between these two films was highly anticipated, but the dynamics changed significantly after the first day's earnings were reported.

In terms of box office performance, *Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai* emerged as the frontrunner. The romantic drama, which also stars Pooja Hegde and Mrunal Thakur, recorded impressive earnings on its opening day. As per preliminary data from a box office tracking platform, the film achieved a net collection of around ₹7.50 crore from 9,081 screenings nationwide.

When considering gross earnings, the film's total for its first day in India reached approximately ₹9 crore. Additionally, it garnered ₹2 crore from international markets, bringing its total worldwide gross to ₹11 crore on the opening day.

Given the film's production budget of ₹50 to ₹55 crore, this initial performance is quite remarkable and provides a sense of relief for the producers. The strong audience turnout on the first day is expected to create a favorable environment in theaters, potentially leading to a significant increase in earnings over the weekend.

On the other hand, Bobby Deol's *Bandar* faced a tough competition against *Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai*. Despite positive reviews for Deol's performance, *Bandar*'s opening day earnings were surprisingly low, with reports indicating a collection of only ₹50 lakh. The film had previously premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in the 'Special Presentations' category, where it received notable acclaim. This project marks the first collaboration between Bobby Deol and director Anurag Kashyap.

The narrative of *Bandar* centers around a declining television star who confronts serious allegations of rape from a former girlfriend. The film boasts a strong supporting cast, including Sapna Pabbi, Sanya Malhotra, Saba Azad, Raj B. Shetty, Jitendra Joshi, Riddhi Sen, Indrajith Sukumaran, and Nagesh Bhosale in key roles.

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