Shahid Kapoor has reportedly had his movie career’s biggest opening with ‘Kabir Singh’.
According to the makers, ‘Kabir Singh’, a remake of Telugu film ‘Arjun Reddy’, made Rs202.1 million (Dh10.6 million) on the film’s opening day on Friday in India.
This also made the film, directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, one of the few top box office earners in India so far this year, apart from being a good non-holiday performer.
Trade analyst Taran Adarsh on Saturday tweeted: “’Kabir Singh’ is terrific on Day 1... Emerges Shahid Kapoor’s biggest opener (surpasses Day 1 business of ‘Padmaavat’ — Rs19 crore). Biggest non-holiday opening day of 2019 (surpasses ‘Total Dhamaal’ Rs16.50 crore)... Is a craze amongst the youth. Friday: Rs20.21 crore. India business.”
According to Adarsh, the movie released across 3,123 screens in India.
The original film starred Vijay Deverakonda and Shalini Pandey, while the Hindi remake features Kapoor and Kiara Advani.
‘Kabir Singh’ narrates the story of a young final year medical student who falls in love with Preeti (Kiara), his junior in college.
However, the film has been heavily criticised, being called ‘misogynistic’ and glorifying ‘toxic masculinity’.
Bollywood singer Sona Mohapatra was one of the few celebrities who called out the makers of the film for its narrative.
TV actor Nakuul Mehta praised the film, tweeting: “There are 99 problems but @shahidkapoor ain’t one. Leaving the politics of the film aside, it’s a brilliant portrayal. In every frame and owned each of ‘em [sic].
Mohapatra responded: “And how can we keep such deeply disturbing, dark & dangerous politics ‘aside’? Does the actor have no responsibility for choosing to play a part in a narrative that can set us back as a society? Is that all we have become? Creatures of ambition?”
Indian historian, author and journalist Hindol Sengupta was of similar criticism.
“In a country plagued with violence against women, I feel nauseated that Hindi cinema continues to showcase the worst kind of violent, male archetypes like in #KabirSingh I am all for creative freedom but is there nothing called a sense of social responsibility? Surely a balance?” he said.
Produced by Bhushan Kumar, Murad Khetani, Krishan Kumar and Ashwin Varde, the film is a T-Series and Cine1 Studios presentation.
