Critics Praise the Film, but Opening Day Collections Disappoint

Abhishek Bachchan’s latest film, I Want to Talk, has finally hit theaters. While the film has received positive reviews from critics and is being hailed as the best performance of Abhishek’s career, its box office performance has been underwhelming. Produced by Rising Sun Films and Kino Works, the film was released worldwide on November 22.

According to early reports, the movie’s opening day collection was disappointing. Despite being showcased on over 800 screens across India, I Want to Talk earned only ₹25 lakhs on its first day. Its overall occupancy rate stood at 7.44%, with the highest number of screenings in Delhi-NCR (205 shows), followed by Mumbai with 139 shows.

The movie narrates the story of an ailing father attempting to reconnect with his estranged daughter. Abhishek Bachchan delivers a deeply emotional performance, often expressing more through his emotions than words, which has led critics to call it the best film of his career. This marks his first collaboration with celebrated filmmaker Shoojit Sircar. Alongside Abhishek, the cast includes Johnny Lever, Banita Sandhu, Jayant Kripalani, and Ahilya Bamro in key roles.

This film also marks Shoojit Sircar’s first theatrical release since 2018. His previous films, Gulabo Sitabo and Sardar Udham, were released directly on OTT platforms due to the pandemic. His last theatrical release was October in 2018, starring Varun Dhawan and Banita Sandhu, which earned ₹4.25 crores on its opening day and a lifetime net collection of ₹39.06 crores.

Abhishek Bachchan was last seen in Ghoomer alongside Saiyami Kher. Despite receiving positive reviews, the film struggled to perform at the box office.