Ananya Lohia , Mumbai - Director David Dhawan's latest romantic comedy Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai has had a disappointing start at the box office. Starring Varun Dhawan, Mrunal Thakur and Pooja Hegde, the film collected ₹7.5 crore net in India on its opening day, making it one of the actor's lowest openings in recent years.

Released across more than 2,500 screens nationwide on June 5, the film was expected to attract audiences with its light-hearted comedy and star-studded cast. However, weak audience turnout affected its opening-day performance. According to trade estimates, the film managed a day-one collection of ₹7.5 crore net, falling behind Varun Dhawan's recent solo releases Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari and Baby John, which opened with ₹10 crore and ₹11.25 crore respectively. The film's opening is also among the lowest of Varun's career, with only October and Main Tera Hero posting similar or lower first-day figures. Its performance is comparable to his debut film Student of the Year, which was released 14 years ago. Varun's biggest solo opener remains Judwaa 2, which earned more than ₹16 crore on its first day.

Occupancy figures reflected the film's struggle to draw crowds. Morning shows recorded around 9% occupancy, which improved slightly during the day, with night shows touching nearly 30%. Despite the increase, the overall occupancy remained below 20% across India. The film has also received mixed-to-negative reviews from critics, impacting word-of-mouth publicity. Several reviews pointed out that the comedy failed to deliver the expected laughs and energy typically associated with David Dhawan entertainers.

With a modest opening and limited positive buzz, Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai faces an uphill battle at the box office. The film's weekend performance will now be crucial in determining whether it can recover from its slow start and improve its collections in the coming days.