The high-glamour world of Bollywood rom-coms just received a harsh reality check. Despite the star power of Kartik Aaryan and Ananya Panday, their latest collaboration, Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri, has officially crashed at the box office. After ten days in theaters, the film finds itself in the dreaded “disaster” zone, struggling to stay afloat in a market currently dominated by high-octane action and gritty dramas.
Produced by Karan Johar under the prestigious Dharma Productions banner and directed by the National Award-winning Sameer Vidwans, the film arrived with significant hype. However, the numbers tell a somber story of a 90-crore investment that has failed to resonate with the modern Indian audience.
The financial trajectory of Tu Meri Main Tera… has left trade analysts stunned. Mounted on a substantial budget of approximately ₹90 crores—encompassing high production values, international schedules, and star salaries—the film required a massive opening to break even.
Instead, the film’s 10-day domestic box office collection stands at a mere ₹33 crores. The collections saw a steep 65% drop after the first weekend, with theater occupancy hovering at a dismal 12–15% on weekdays. For a Kartik Aaryan starrer, who is often hailed as a “box office saviour” after the success of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, this result is a significant setback to his winning streak.
Perhaps the biggest external factor in the film’s downfall was the sheer timing of its release. The film hit theaters while the #Dhurandhar juggernaut was still in its historic third-week run. As Dhurandhar (starring Ranveer Singh and directed by Aditya Dhar) continued to pull in double-digit numbers and eye the ₹1000 crore club, it left almost no room for a soft, emotional romantic drama.
Exhibitors across the country reportedly slashed screen counts for the Kartik-Ananya starrer within the first four days to accommodate the “Dhurandhar Wave.” In the battle between “paisa-vasool” action and a formulaic love story, the audience clearly chose the former.
While the competition was fierce, the internal failings of the script played a major role in the film’s rejection. Directed by Sameer Vidwans, who previously delivered the successful Satyaprem Ki Katha, expectations were high for a nuanced take on modern relationships.
However, the general consensus among viewers and critics alike is a lack of emotional connection. Audiences took to social media to express that the film felt “dated” and “hollow,” relying too heavily on the leads’ chemistry rather than a solid plot.
“The film tries too hard to be cute,” noted one prominent film critic. “It lacks the narrative depth that today’s viewers demand. In an era where audiences are exposed to global storytelling, a simple boy-meets-girl story without a fresh hook or a deep emotional core simply won’t cut it.”
For Karan Johar and Dharma Productions, the failure of Tu Meri Main Tera… is a rare misfire in the rom-com genre—a space they have historically dominated. The film’s inability to draw the “Gen Z” crowd, despite casting youth icons like Ananya Panday and Kartik Aaryan, suggests a shifting paradigm in what younger audiences consider “relatable.”
Despite the box office drubbing, both actors have busy schedules ahead to pivot their careers.
- Kartik Aaryan is already shifting focus to his upcoming collaboration with Anurag Basu, a film that promises a more intense and experimental performance.
- Ananya Panday will look to regain her momentum with her next OTT venture, where her performances have recently garnered more critical acclaim than her theatrical outings.
The failure of Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri serves as a stark reminder to filmmakers: star power and big-budget backing are no longer a guarantee of success. In 2026, the script is truly the only “Superstar.”
