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Vijay Verma and Fatima Sana Shaikh’s latest offering Gustaakh Ishq has unfortunately joined the growing list of Bollywood films that struggled at the box office in 2025. Despite being crafted as a beautiful piece of cinematic poetry, the romantic drama directed by Vibhu Puri opened to disappointing numbers on its first day.
The film, which also features veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah in a prominent role, faced stiff competition from Dhanush and Kriti Sanon’s Tere Ishk Mein, which clearly dominated the box office battle. Industry experts are hoping that strong word-of-mouth publicity might help the film pick up momentum over the weekend.
According to early box office trends for November 28, Gustaakh Ishq managed to collect only ₹50-60 lakh on its opening day across India. The film registered a meager theater occupancy of just 8.6%, indicating limited audience interest despite the star power of its lead actors.
This performance makes it the second-lowest romantic opening for any Bollywood film in 2025. The only romantic film it managed to surpass was Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan, starring Vikrant Massey and Shanaya Kapoor, which had opened with an even lower collection of ₹35 lakh.
For Vijay Verma, this marks his first solo leading role in a theatrical release, making the underwhelming response particularly disappointing. The actor, who has gained recognition through his performances in various web series and supporting roles in films, was expected to draw audiences with his unique screen presence.
The film has now entered the infamous list of lowest-grossing Bollywood openers in 2025. Here’s how it compares to other underperforming films this year:
Phule remains at the bottom with just ₹15 lakh, followed by Nikita Roy at ₹22 lakh, and Kesari Veer at ₹25 lakh. Other films in this category include Kapkapiii (₹26 lakh), Homebound (₹30 lakh), and Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan (₹35 lakh).
Interestingly, Superboys of Malegaon and Gustaakh Ishq both managed ₹50 lakh collections, while The Taj Story crossed the ₹1 crore mark to complete this list of underwhelming performers.
The challenging box office performance of Gustaakh Ishq reflects the broader struggles facing mid-budget Bollywood films in 2025. Despite featuring talented actors like Fatima Sana Shaikh, who has previously appeared in successful projects like Dangal and Thugs of Hindostan, the film failed to generate significant pre-release buzz.
Industry analysts suggest that the film’s poor marketing strategy and limited screen count might have contributed to its disappointing opening. Additionally, the clash with Tere Ishk Mein, which featured popular stars Dhanush and Kriti Sanon, likely diverted audience attention away from the smaller release.
The film’s content, described by early viewers as a “beautifully crafted poetry on screen,” suggests that quality alone isn’t sufficient to guarantee box office success in today’s competitive entertainment landscape. This trend has become increasingly common, with several content-driven films struggling to find their audience despite critical appreciation.
For Fatima Sana Shaikh, this represents another setback after her previous films also failed to create significant impact at the box office. The actress, who showed tremendous potential in her earlier work, will need to carefully choose her next projects to rebuild her commercial viability.
The future prospects for Gustaakh Ishq now depend entirely on audience word-of-mouth and critical reception. While the film might find appreciation among viewers who prefer content-driven cinema, recovering from such a weak opening will require exceptional audience support over the weekend.
Director Vibhu Puri, known for his artistic sensibilities, will also need to reassess his approach to commercial filmmaking if he aims to reach broader audiences with future projects. The film industry continues to grapple with the challenge of balancing artistic integrity with commercial appeal.
As Bollywood enters the final month of 2025, the industry continues to face significant challenges in attracting audiences to theaters. With Gustaakh Ishq becoming the eighth film to open below ₹1 crore this year, filmmakers and producers are increasingly concerned about the changing dynamics of audience preferences and theatrical business viability.
The box office performance of films like Gustaakh Ishq highlights the urgent need for the industry to develop more effective strategies for marketing and distributing mid-budget films. Without significant changes in approach, many promising projects might continue to struggle despite their artistic merit and talented cast members.
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