July 13, 2025: Shanaya Kapoor’s debut film Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan, co-starring Vikrant Massey, has had a muted opening weekend at the box office. Despite being backed by a popular short story and set against picturesque backdrops, the romantic drama has failed to strike a strong chord with audiences.
According to Sacnilk, the film managed a total of ₹1.2 crore (India net) in its first three days:
- Friday: ₹0.30 crore
- Saturday: ₹0.49 crore
- Sunday: ₹0.41 crore
Though Saturday saw some improvement over the opening day, Sunday’s slight drop indicates lukewarm word of mouth. The film’s occupancy rate on Sunday was 17.11%, marginally better than Saturday’s 15.25% in Hindi.
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- Morning shows: 7.40%
- Afternoon: 20.09%
- Evening: 23.14%
- Night shows: 0% (reportedly due to limited or cancelled late screenings)
Critical Reception
Hindustan Times gave the film a lukewarm review, calling it a “love story that can’t see beyond its flaws.” Drawing inspiration from Ruskin Bond’s short story The Eyes Have It, the film was criticized for stretching a simple plot too thin and relying heavily on aesthetics over substance.
“A girl boards a train to an unknown place with a stranger and doesn’t take off her blindfold even once? Sure, let’s accept the suspension of disbelief. Move past that, and you’re treated to a few beautiful locations and pleasant music. Unfortunately, that’s about it.”
Film Details
- Director: Santosh Singh
- Producers: Mansi Bagla, Varun Bagla
- Cast: Shanaya Kapoor, Vikrant Massey
- Inspiration: The Eyes Have It by Ruskin Bond
- Release Date: Friday, July 11, 2025
- Genre: Romantic Drama
With underwhelming box office numbers and a mixed critical response, Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan faces an uphill battle in the coming weeks unless it sees a surprise pickup in audience engagement.