Dharma Productions returned to the romcom space with their latest release, Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari, starring Varun Dhawan and Janhvi Kapoor in the lead, alongside Sanya Malhotra and Rohit Saraf in key supporting roles. Directed by Shashank Khaitan, known for Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania, Badrinath Ki Dulhania, Dhadak and Govinda Naam Mera, the film marked the production house’s renewed attempt to revive the genre that once brought them consistent success. ‘Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari’ Movie Review: Varun Dhawan and Janhvi Kapoor’s Romcom Is Too Predictable for Its Own Good!

Released in theatres on October 2, Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari received lukewarm reviews from critics and a tepid response from audiences. Its box office prospects were further hampered by a direct clash with Rishab Shetty’s critically acclaimed Kantara Chapter 1. Despite being mounted on a substantial budget of INR 80 crore, the romcom has so far managed to gross only INR 45.6 crore worldwide, with collections already slowing. Although it is too early to officially declare it a flop, trade analysts have expressed disappointment over its underwhelming performance.

The film’s sluggish run is symptomatic of a broader trend for Dharma Productions, which has struggled to replicate its pre-pandemic box office dominance. While the banner has delivered a couple of commercial successes in the past four years, the ratio of flops to hits has been strikingly lopsided, often despite featuring big stars and ambitious productions. ‘Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari’ Box Office Verdict – Hit or Flop: Varun Dhawan and Janhvi Kapoor’s Romcom Underperforms in Its Opening Weekend – Find Out How!

Even critically appreciated titles such as Kill, Dhadak 2 and Homebound failed to convert praise into substantial ticket sales, adding to Dharma’s challenges in a rapidly changing post-pandemic theatrical landscape.

Dharma Productions: Box Office Track Record Since 2021

1. Sooryavanshi (2021)

A Still From Sooryavanshi

Director: Rohit Shetty

Cast: Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgn, Ranveer Singh, Katrina Kaif, Jaaved Jaaferi, Jackie Shroff, Gulshan Grover, Nikitin Dheer, Sikandar Kher, Abhimanyu Singh and Kumud Mishra

Reported Budget: INR 160 crore

Worldwide Box Office: INR 293 crore

Box Office Verdict: Hit

2. Jugjugg Jeeyo (2022)

A Still From Jugjugg Jeeyo

Director: Raj Mehta

Cast: Anil Kapoor, Neetu Kapoor, Varun Dhawan, Kiara Advani, Manish Paul, and Prajakta Koli

Reported Budget: INR 120 crore

Worldwide Box Office: INR 139.5 crore

Box Office Verdict: Average

3. Liger (2022)

A Still From Liger

Director: Puri Jagannadh

Cast: Vijay Deverakonda, Ananya Panday, Ramya Krishna, Ronit Roy and Mike Tyson

Reported Budget: INR 125 crore

Worldwide Box Office: INR 56.18 crore

Box Office Verdict: Flop

4. Brahmāstra: Part One – Shiva (2022)

A Still From Brahmāstra: Part One – Shiva

Director: Ayan Mukerji

Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Mouni Roy, Nagarjuna, Dimple Kapadia, and Shah Rukh Khan

Reported Budget: INR 400 crore

Worldwide Box Office: INR 431 crore

Box Office Verdict: Average

5. Selfiee (2023)

A Still From Selfiee

Director: Raj Mehta

Cast: Akshay Kumar, Emraan Hashmi, Nushrratt Bharuccha, Diana Penty, Adah Sharma and Abhimanyu Singh

Reported Budget: INR 100 crore

Worldwide Box Office: INR 24.6 crore

Box Office Verdict: Flop

6. Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani (2023)

A Still From Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani

Director: Karan Johar

Cast: Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt, Dharmendra, Jaya Bachchan, Shabana Azmi, and Tota Roy Chowdhury

Reported Budget: INR 160 crore

Worldwide Box Office: INR 357.5 crore

Box Office Verdict: Hit

7. Kill (2024)

A Still From Kill

Director: Nikhil Nagesh Bhat

Cast: Lakshya, Raghav Juyal, Ashish Vidyarthi, Harsh Chhaya, Tanya Maniktala and Abhishek Chauhan

Reported Budget: INR 20 crore

Worldwide Box Office: INR 48.11 crore

Box Office Verdict: Average

8. Yodha (2024)

A Still From Yodha

Director: Sagar Ambre, Pushkar Ojha

Cast: Sidharth Malhotra, Raashii Khanna, Disha Patani, Ronit Roy and Sunny Hinduja

Reported Budget: INR 55 crore

Worldwide Box Office: INR 53.68 crore

Box Office Verdict: Flop

9. Mr & Mrs Mahi

A Still From Mr & Mrs Mahi

Director: Sharan Sharma

Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Janhvi Kapoor, Kumud Mishra and Zarina Wahab

Reported Budget: INR 40 crore

Worldwide Box Office: INR 51.95 crore

Box Office Verdict: Flop

10. Bad Newz (2024)

A Still From Bad Newz

Director: Anand Tiwari

Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Triptii Dimri, Ammy Virk, Neha Dhupia, Sheeba Chaddha, Neha Sharma and Ananya Panday

Reported Budget: INR 80 crore

Worldwide Box Office: INR 113.77 crore

Box Office Verdict: Average

11. Jigra (2024)

A Still From Jigra

Director: Vasan Bala

Cast: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Rahul Ravindran and Vivek Gomber

Reported Budget: INR 80 crore

Worldwide Box Office: INR 56.93 crore

Box Office Verdict: Flop

12. Kesari Chapter 2 (2025)

A Still From Kesari Chapter 2

Director: Karan Singh Tyagi

Cast: Akshay Kumar, R Madhavan and Ananya Panday

Reported Budget: INR 150 crore

Worldwide Box Office: INR 145.01 crore

Box Office Verdict: Flop

13. Dhadak 2 (2025)

A Still From Dhadak 2

Director: Shazia Iqbal

Cast: Siddhant Chaturvedi and Triptii Dimri

Reported Budget: INR 60 crore

Worldwide Box Office: INR 32.61 crore

Box Office Verdict: Flop

14. Homebound (2025)

A Still From Homebound

Director: Neeraj Ghaywan

Cast: Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa and Janhvi Kapoor

Reported Budget: INR 25 crore

Worldwide Box Office: INR 2.65 crore

Box Office Verdict: Flop

The data reveals a worrisome trend for Dharma Productions. Since 2021, the studio has delivered only a handful of hits - Sooryavanshi and Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani stand out as solid performers, while Brahmāstra scraped by with an average verdict despite its mammoth budget. However, the list of flops has far outweighed the successes, with high-profile misfires like Liger, Selfiee, Mr & Mrs Mahi and Kesari Chapter 2 denting the studio’s box office credibility.

With Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari struggling to find its footing, Dharma Productions faces mounting pressure to reassess its theatrical strategies. While hits like Rocky Aur Rani prove that Dharma can still strike gold with the right mix of heart, humour and spectacle, its uneven track record suggests that consistent success will require a more adaptive and risk-aware strategy in the years ahead. To reclaim its box office dominance, the studio will need to diversify its storytelling approach, back innovative scripts, and recalibrate budgets to align with changing audience expectations.

 

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 07, 2025 05:50 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).