Box Office Verdict: Below Expectations

Khel Khel Mein, Mudassar Aziz’s drama starring Akshay Kumar and Vaani Kapoor, has managed ₹40.9 crore domestically (net), ranking #309 in Filmymojo’s 2024 box office charts. Despite its comic drama theme, the film failed to capitalize on the Independence Day release window.

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Box Office Breakdown

Key Stats

Metric	Value
Total Collection	₹40.9 crore
Current Rank	#309 (2024 Releases)
Genre	Drama
Release Date	August 15, 2024
Director	Mudassar Aziz
Lead Cast	Akshay Kumar, Vaani Kapoor, Fardeen Khan

Genre Comparison

• Average Drama Collection (2024): ₹68.3 crore
• Khel Khel Mein vs. Genre Avg: 40% below benchmark
• Top 2024 Drama Films:
  1. Chandu Champion (₹148.6 crore)
  2. Sarfira (₹22.43 crore)
  3. Khel Khel Mein (₹40.9 crore)

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Akshay Kumar’s recent Film Track Record

Khel Khel Mein underperforms compared to Akshay’s previous films:

Movie	Collection (₹ Cr)	Year
Mission Raniganj	₹33.9	2023
Khel Khel Mein	₹40.9	2024
Samrat Prithviraj	₹68.06	2022

Key Insight: Marks Akshay’s third consecutive underperformance in this genre.

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Budget & Recovery

The film’s economics reveal its struggles:

Metric	Value
Production Budget	₹75 crore
P&A Spend	₹25 crore
ROI	0.54x
Losses	₹55+ crore

Industry Context: Needed ₹150 crore to break even.

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Weekly Performance

Sharp declines post-holiday period:

Week	Collection (₹ Cr)	Drop
1	₹25.4	–
2	₹9.8	61%↓
3	₹3.7	62%↓
4	₹1.2	68%↓

Critical Issues:

• 61% second-week drop worse than typical for holiday releases (~45%)
• Failed to cross ₹50 lakh daily after Week 2

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What Went Wrong?

1. Clash with Stree 2: Lost premium screens to the horror sequel
2. Genre Fatigue: Fourth Akshay drama film in 5 years
3. Weak Music: No chartbuster songs to drive youth interest
4. Marketing Missteps: Failed to highlight unique angles

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Audience Reception

• IMDb Rating: 5.8/10 (Mixed reviews)
• CinemaScore: B (Average)
• Social Media Buzz:
  • Only 4 days in trending top 10
  • 38% lower engagement than Chandu Champion

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Final Verdict

With ₹40.9 crore, Khel Khel Mein continues Akshay Kumar’s box office struggles. The film proves that even such themes need fresh execution to connect with today’s audiences.

Watch Recommendation: Only for die-hard Akshay fans; others can wait for OTT.

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Data Source: Filmymojo Box Office Database