Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 box-office collection Day 1: Biggest opening yet for Kartik Aaryan in clash with Singham Again

Kartik Aaryan's Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 has made a notable impact at the box office, raking in ₹35.5 crore on its first day in India. This marks the highest opening of Aaryan's career, significantly surpassing the ₹13.45 crore debut of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 in 2022. Directed by Anees Bazmee, the film also marks Bazmee's most successful opening to date.

The third installment in the successful franchise features a star-studded cast, including Vidya Balan, Madhuri Dixit, and Triptii Dimri. Set in Kolkata, the film combines elements of horror and comedy, building on themes that made its predecessors popular. Despite facing strong competition from Singham Again, a major Diwali release led by industry heavyweights, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 managed to draw large crowds and sustain impressive advance bookings.

Trade analyst Taran Adarsh shared his enthusiasm for the film on social media, calling it "outstanding" and highlighting the effective blend of horror, comedy, and suspense. “#OneWordReview... #BhoolBhulaiyaa3: OUTSTANDING. Entertainment ka bada dhamaka... Horror Comedy Terrific Suspense... #KartikAaryan [excellent] - #AneesBazmee combo hits it out of the park... #MadhuriDixit #VidyaBalan wowsome,” he posted.

Director Anees Bazmee expressed gratitude for the film's reception, coinciding with his birthday. “It’s the best birthday gift I could ever get,” Bazmee told ANI. “I love watching films with the audience to see their live reactions, and I’m glad they’re loving it.” He dismissed any notion of rivalry with Singham Again, stating, “I don’t consider it a clash. Both films released on the same day, and I hope both do good business.”

The film's performance was strong across major Indian cities. According to Sacnilk, Mumbai recorded an 81.75% occupancy across 789 shows, while the National Capital Region (NCR) saw 79.50% over 957 shows. Pune had 57.25% occupancy across 357 screenings, and Bengaluru reported 69.50% over 250 shows. Hyderabad was at 56.00% for 202 shows. Kolkata showed a healthy 77.00% occupancy across 257 screenings, while Ahmedabad had 78.75% over 558 shows. Chennai posted 81.50% occupancy across 59 shows, Surat had 65.75% for 302 shows, and Jaipur led with 86.00% over 118 shows. Chandigarh recorded 74.75% across 131 screenings, Bhopal had 75.25% for 61 shows, and Lucknow saw 84.75% occupancy across 170 shows.

Vidya Balan, who reprised her iconic role as Manjulika, attended a first-day screening in Mumbai and expressed her joy. “I felt extremely good watching the first day first show of the film at Gaiety. Nothing better than seeing our audience happy. Main bhaut khush hu. I hope a huge number of people come to theatres and watch the film,” she told ANI.