Romantic drama Cocktail 2 has made a promising start at the Indian box office, delivering one of the strongest opening-day performances of Shahid Kapoor`s career.
The film, which hit cinemas on June 19, collected Rs 13.50 crore on its first day, according to industry estimates. The opening places it behind only Kabir Singh among Shahid Kapoor`s biggest box-office debuts.
Directed by Homi Adajania, the film stars Shahid Kapoor alongside Kriti Sanon and Rashmika Mandanna in lead roles.
Audience turnout improved steadily throughout the day, with evening and night shows drawing the highest attendance.
Trade data showed that the movie recorded an overall Hindi occupancy of just over 20 percent across more than 10,000 screenings nationwide.
Footfall increased significantly as the day progressed, indicating positive word-of-mouth among moviegoers.
Major metropolitan centres also reported encouraging numbers. Mumbai and the Delhi-NCR region registered solid audience attendance, contributing significantly to the film`s opening-day earnings.
Cocktail 2 entered a competitive marketplace, facing several new releases across different genres.
Despite the crowded release schedule, the film managed to attract strong interest from audiences during its first day in theatres.
Ahead of the release, Shahid Kapoor addressed discussions surrounding the film`s Adult (A) certification.
The actor said he was surprised by the rating and expressed his belief that the movie could be enjoyed by family audiences as well.
Describing the story as an emotional journey involving three central characters, Shahid said he hoped viewers would connect with its themes and leave the cinema with a positive feeling.
The film serves as a spiritual successor to the 2012 hit Cocktail. Written by Luv Ranjan and directed by Homi Adajania, the project also features Pulkit Sharma and Tiku Talsania in supporting roles.
With a strong opening day and positive audience response, industry observers will now be watching closely to see whether Cocktail 2 can maintain momentum over the weekend.
