How Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat outsmarted big Diwali films like Thamma—what's the secret?

The Diwali box office was expected to be all about Thamma, Ayushmann Khurrana and Rashmika Mandanna’s horror-comedy. Instead, Harshvardhan Rane and Sonam Bajwa’s Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat sneaked in like that quiet guest who actually steals the show—raking in a respectable Rs 8.50 crore on its first day. Not bad for a film with no megastars, fighting for screens against a bigger, buzzier competitor.

Box Office snapshot

• Opening Day: Rs 8.50 crore net domestically

• Tier-2 towns: Surprisingly strong, fueling hopes for a weekend surge

• Comparison: Beats Dhadak 2 (Rs 4 crore) and Metro In Dino (Rs 3 crore), but still nowhere near Saiyaara’s Rs 20.50 crore record

A solid number, especially considering Rane personally promoted the film.

Social media reacts: Brutal honesty

• “A classic Milap Zaveri mess. Sonam Bajwa outshines Harshvardhan so badly, it’s painful to watch,” one redditor quipped.

• “Pretty dialogues, over-the-top emotions, and bad acting. One-time watch at best.”

• “The music is decent, the story is… chaotic.

Twitter fans echoed the sentiment: some praised the emotional beats, but most sighed, calling it a “Diwali treat if you enjoy melodrama with a side of eye-rolls.”

Why it's buzzing

Despite the critique, curiosity is the fuel here. The movie’s mix of obsessive romance, catchy promos, and Sonam Bajwa’s magnetic presence is enough to pull audiences into theatres. Box office may surprise further if word-of-mouth swings positive—though Reddit might haunt it like a ghost.