For all the remakes produced in Bollywood, Loveyapa - an adaptation of the Tamil hit Love Today - surprisingly stands out as a decent effort. Starring star kids Junaid Khan and Khushi Kapoor in lead roles, the film was directed by Advait Chandan, with Junaid’s father, Aamir Khan, enthusiastically promoting his son’s big-screen debut wherever he could. Yet, Loveyapa seemed doomed upon its theatrical release on February 7, 2024, right from its opening day, thanks to a mix of factors - chief among them Himesh Reshammiya and the infamous ‘remake curse’. More on both shortly. ‘Loveyapa’ Movie Review: Junaid Khan and Khushi Kapoor Are the Surprise Packages of This Sharp and Witty Romcom.

Though the original Tamil film, Love Today, was a massive success in 2022, grossing INR 100 crore worldwide on a modest budget of INR 5 crore, its Hindi remake hasn’t enjoyed a similar fortune.

'Loveyapa' Box Office Update – First Weekend

Loveyapa opened to a sluggish start, netting INR 0.75 crore on its first Friday. However, it showed a slight improvement over the weekend, collecting INR 4 crore in three days, as per Bollywood Hungama. The producers claim a slightly higher figure of INR 4.75 crore, but even this remains underwhelming for a film with such heavy promotion.

Watch the Trailer of 'Loveyapa':

The Budget of 'Loveyapa'

While Love Today was reportedly made on a budget of INR 5 crore, its Hindi remake allegedly cost 12 times more - INR 60 crore. For Loveyapa to be deemed a hit, its net collections would need to surpass INR 80 crore - a tall order given its current trajectory.

Himesh Reshammiya Trounces 'Loveyapa' - Twice!

So, what went wrong for Loveyapa? The film received relatively decent reviews, and its leads  - criticised for their debuts in Maharaj and The Archies, respectively - earned better responses here. Yet, they were overshadowed by Himesh Reshammiya, both as an actor and composer. His new film, Badass Ravi Kumar, released on the same day as Loveyapa and enjoyed a stronger opening and buzz. Even more surprisingly, Sanam Teri Kasam - a nine-year-old romantic drama scored by Reshammiya - outperformed both films upon its re-release, reportedly netting INR 15.25 crore in the same period. ‘Sanam Teri Kasam’ Re-Release Box Office Verdict – Hit or Flop: Harshvardhan Rane-Mawra Hocane’s Movie Surpasses ‘Badass Ravikumar’ and ‘Loveyapa’ Combined in First Weekend Earnings!

The 'Remake Curse'

Loveyapa also appears to be a victim of the ‘remake curse’ plaguing Bollywood post-pandemic, where most Hindi remakes of South Indian or Hollywood films underperform theatrically. Recent examples include Baby John (a remake of Tamil’s Theri) starring Varun Dhawan, and Deva (a remake of Malayalam’s Mumbai Police) starring Shahid Kapoor. ‘Deva’ Box Office Verdict – Hit or Flop: 5 Reasons Why Shahid Kapoor’s Cop Thriller Has Underperformed in Its First Week.

The only exceptions have been Drishyam 2 and Shaitaan - both led by Ajay Devgn. Ironically, Junaid's papa Aamir Khan’s upcoming film, Sitaare Zameen Par, is also a remake - an official adaptation of the Spanish film Campeones, much like his last release, Laal Singh Chaddha (which remade Forrest Gump).

(The opinions expressed in the above article are of the author and do not reflect the stand or position of LatestLY.)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 10, 2025 10:27 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).