Director Puri Jagannadh and the maverick Ram Pothineni have reunited for the film Double iSmart, their second collaboration. Despite high expectations, the movie has struggled to meet the anticipated box office performance. On its first day, Double iSmart garnered impressive numbers, collecting ₹7 crore nett in Telugu states, ₹65 lakh nett in Karnataka, ₹15 lakh nett in Tamil Nadu, ₹10 lakh nett in Kerala, and ₹70 lakh nett in other regions. Overall, the film grossed over ₹8.5 crore in India and achieved a worldwide total of ₹12.45 crore.
Double iSmart Box Office Collection
However, the film’s performance took a significant downturn on its second day. The collection dropped to ₹2.25 crore nett in India, with ₹1.75 crore nett coming from Andhra Pradesh and ₹50 lakh nett from Tamil, Kannada, and other regions. This marked a steep decline compared to the first day’s figures. The film’s occupancy rate also fell to around 30%, contributing to the drop in revenue. Globally, Double iSmart has accumulated ₹16 crore over its first two days. For the film to break even, it needs to achieve a target of at least ₹54 crore. Whether the film will turn around and become a hit will be determined over the coming days.
Occupancy Rates
On Friday, August 16, 2024, Double iSmart recorded an overall Telugu occupancy rate of 22.71%. For Day 2, the occupancy rates varied throughout the day: 16.74% for morning shows, 24.96% for afternoon shows, 25.24% for evening shows, and 23.91% for night shows.
In terms of its Hindi version, Double iSmart had a considerably lower overall occupancy rate of 10.21% on the same day. The distribution for Hindi showtimes was 7.04% for morning shows, 10.79% for afternoon shows, 9.71% for evening shows, and 13.30% for night shows.
Audience Mixed Reactions
In addition to its box office challenges, the film has faced mixed reviews. While the episodes featuring Ram Pothineni and Sanjay Dutt have been appreciated, there has been dissatisfaction with the comedic elements involving Ali, which some audiences found off-putting. There are reports that the team is considering removing these scenes to address the backlash. The film was shot across various locations, including Kakinada, Warangal, Vizag, Hyderabad, and Guntur.