Ayushmann Khurrana is one of Hindi cinema’s most interesting box office stories. A performer who built his career on content-driven, niche films and somehow became one of Bollywood’s most bankable stars — before the pandemic reshaped everything. With Pati Patni Aur Woh Do now in theatres, here’s a full look at all 10 of his biggest opening days, and what they collectively reveal about his career.
Table of Contents
Top 10 Ayushmann Khurrana Openers — All Time
| Rank | Film | Day 1 Nett (India) | What It Was |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thamma | Rs 23 crore | Horror vampire comedy with Rashmika Mandanna — by far his biggest ever |
| 2 | Dream Girl 2 | Rs 9.75 crore | Comedy sequel with Ananya Panday — rode the original’s goodwill |
| 3 | Dream Girl | Rs 9.50 crore | Cross-dressing comedy that became a cult classic |
| 4 | Bala | Rs 9.25 crore | Premature balding comedy that struck a deep cultural nerve |
| 5 | Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan | Rs 8.75 crore | Bollywood’s first mainstream same-sex love story |
| 6 | Badhaai Ho | Rs 7.25 crore | Middle-aged pregnancy comedy that was a genuine social conversation |
| 7 | Article 15 | Rs 4.75 crore | Hard-hitting caste discrimination drama — his most acclaimed film |
| 8 | Pati Patni Aur Woh Do | Rs 3.85 crore | Romantic comedy sequel — disappointing but not surprising |
| 9 | Doctor G | Rs 3.50 crore | Medical college comedy that underperformed commercially |
| 10 | Nautanki Sala | Rs 3.25 crore | An early Ayushmann comedy that showed his theatrical range |
Breaking Down the Top 10
#1 — Thamma (Rs 23 crore): Thamma is Ayushmann’s biggest opener of all time, opening to Rs 23 crore nett in Hindi — a new benchmark set by a huge margin, as his second-biggest opener, Dream Girl 2, had opened to Rs 9.75 crore. The horror-comedy pairing with Rashmika Mandanna was something genuinely fresh for Ayushmann — and audiences showed up in a way they never had before.
#2 & #3 — Dream Girl 2 & Dream Girl (Rs 9.75 cr / Rs 9.50 cr): The Dream Girl franchise found Ayushmann in his most commercially accessible avatar — cross-dressing comedian — and both films opened huge for their budget and scale.
#4 — Bala (Rs 9.25 cr): A film about hair loss anxiety that somehow became one of 2019’s most emotionally resonant comedies. Ayushmann at his social-commentary best.
#5 — Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan (Rs 8.75 cr): A genuinely brave release — a mainstream Bollywood film centring a same-sex relationship. Its opening showed how much Ayushmann’s name had grown as a drawing card. According to Wikipedia’s overview of LGBTQ cinema in India, this film remains one of Hindi cinema’s most mainstream treatments of the subject.
#6 — Badhaai Ho (Rs 7.25 cr): The film that arguably made Ayushmann a true national star. A comedy about an older couple expecting a baby while their son is embarrassed — it was warm, funny, and deeply Indian.
#7 — Article 15 (Rs 4.75 cr): His most critically celebrated film. A raw, uncomfortable look at caste discrimination in rural India — not typical multiplex fare, but the opening reflected genuine curiosity.
#8 — Pati Patni Aur Woh Do (Rs 3.85 cr): The romantic comedy directed by Mudassar Aziz collected Rs 3.85 crore nett on Day 1, becoming Ayushmann’s 8th biggest opener, surpassing the opening day collections of Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui, Nautanki Sala, Doctor G, and An Action Hero. A franchise film without franchise pull — the post-pandemic OTT squeeze hitting hard.
#9 & #10 — Doctor G & Nautanki Sala (Rs 3.50 cr / Rs 3.25 cr): Two very different films — one a 2022 campus comedy, the other a 2013 debut vehicle — bookend this list as proof that Ayushmann’s commercial floor has largely remained consistent, even as his ceiling soared with Thamma.
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What’s Next for Ayushmann?
All eyes are now on Ayushmann Khurrana’s upcoming releases, Yeh Prem Mol Liya and Udta Teer, among others. After Thamma reset his commercial ceiling so dramatically, the industry — and his fans — will be watching closely to see whether that leap was a one-off or the start of a new chapter.
FAQs
What is Ayushmann Khurrana’s biggest box office opener of all time?
Thamma holds the record with Rs 23 crore nett on Day 1 in India — nearly two and a half times his second-biggest opener, Dream Girl 2 at Rs 9.75 crore.
Where does Pati Patni Aur Woh Do rank among Ayushmann Khurrana’s openers?
It debuted at 8th position with Rs 3.85 crore nett, ahead of Doctor G and Nautanki Sala but far below the top films in his career.
