Abhiruchi Cookery Show -13th April

Sai Pallavi’s Bollywood debut Ek Din is heading towards a disappointing box office outcome, with the film struggling to make even ₹5 crore in its opening weekend. Within just the first week, the film is already showing signs of a rapid decline in collections.

The film, starring Junaid Khan—son of Aamir Khan—was released in Telugu as Oka Roju. However, apart from major centres like Hyderabad, the film has largely gone unnoticed among audiences.

Trade reports suggest that the biggest criticism is directed at the film’s content and execution. Junaid Khan, still at a very early stage in his acting journey, appeared miscast for a serious subject, while Sai Pallavi was brought in for her strong performance appeal.

Despite her presence, the film failed to connect with audiences. Reports indicate that Sai Pallavi likely accepted the project due to its performance-driven scope, but the final output has not worked in its favour.

Another release, Raja Shivaji, reportedly had no major impact on its performance, as audience rejection of Ek Din was primarily due to weak content. Even comparisons with emotionally strong films like Saiyaara suggest that Ek Din failed to offer similar engagement.

With poor word of mouth and minimal traction, theatrical losses appear inevitable, with distributors expecting even partial recovery to be difficult.

Some industry observers also feel that Aamir Khan’s decision to launch his son with such a remake-driven project may not have worked in its favour. Ironically, Sai Pallavi’s character arc in the film—linked to memory loss—has become a metaphor among viewers, as the film itself seems to have been “forgotten” quickly after release.

Since Fidaa, this marks one of Sai Pallavi’s weakest openings in the Telugu market, making Ek Din a setback in an otherwise strong career graph.