Imtiaz Ali's 'Main Vaapas Aaunga' second weekend to go big as exhibitors increase shows owing to popular demand

Ever since its theatrical release on 12th June, Imtiaz Ali’s Main Vaapas Aaunga has been receiving immense love from audiences across generations. The film’s emotional storytelling, powerful performances, and heartfelt exploration of love, loss, and belonging have struck a deep chord with audiences, resulting in strong word of mouth and packed theatres.

Reflecting the film’s growing popularity, exhibitors and cinema chains across several cities have increased the number of shows in its second week. Responding to continuous audience demand and encouraging occupancy trends, theatres have added additional screenings, allowing more moviegoers to experience the film on the big screen.

Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Imtiaz Ali, Main Vaapas Aaunga has emerged as one of the most talked-about films of the season. The film has also received praise from several celebrities, filmmakers, critics, and netizens alike, further contributing to its growing momentum. As the love for Main Vaapas Aaunga continues to grow, the addition of more shows in Week 2 stands as a testament to the strong connection the film has forged with audiences.

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Set in Imtiaz Ali's signature world of love, emotions, and longing, Main Vaapas Aaunga features Diljit Dosanjh, Naseeruddin Shah, Sharvari, and Vedang Raina in pivotal roles.

Produced by Birla Studios and Applause Entertainment, along with Mohit Choudhary and Shibasish Sarkar of Window Seat Films, Main Vaapas Aaunga is successfully running in cinemas now. The film’s music is available on Tips Music.

The film saw a strong weekend response, with Sunday collections reaching Rs. 2.50 crore. Despite the usual weekday challenges, Main Vaapas Aaunga continued to hold steady, collecting Rs.1.15 crore on Monday, followed by growth in collections through the week with Rs1.65 crore on Tuesday and Rs.1.75 crore on Wednesday.

Since its theatrical release on 12th June, the film has been receiving tremendous love and appreciation from audiences across the country, translating into a strong and steadily growing box office performance. The film recorded a strong hold on its first-week Thursday, minting approximately Rs 2.50 crore, surpassing its previous weekday collections and showcasing the growing audience demand.

What exhibitors are saying

Managing director, Devang Sampat, of Cinepolis said, “This is an exceptional film that is witnessing strong word-of-mouth and a remarkable turnaround at the box office. Cinépolis India⁠, operating 497 screens across the country, has increased shows by 30% from Friday to Saturday owing to soaring demand and rapidly improving occupancies nationwide.”

Kartik Ghai, Mukta VN -leading Cinema controller, Delhi UP, said, “The film had a soft opening last Friday, but showed strong growth from Saturday onwards. Seeing the positive trend in collections and excellent occupancies, we have maximized shows across our cinemas since then. The audience response has been very encouraging.”

What we’re tracking closely with Main Vaapas Aaunga is the shape of its trajectory, not just the topline box office number. The film has grown steadily through the week, which is exactly the kind of trend exhibitors like to see, as it reflects genuine and sustained audience interest rather than a front-loaded opening. That’s a rare and encouraging sign, indicating that the film’s momentum is being driven by strong word-of-mouth around Imtiaz Ali’s storytelling, Naseeruddin Shah’s powerful performance, and A.R. Rahman’s memorable score, rather than promotional hype.

Even with fresh competition entering cinemas this week, the film is outperforming its first-week levels, demonstrating remarkable staying power. For a niche, content-driven Partition drama, this kind of sustained audience pull is the hallmark of a slow-burn success. We remain optimistic about its performance through the second weekend and beyond.” shares Mr. Gautam Dutta, CEO - Revenue & Operations, PVR INOX Limited.