Baby Do Die Do is struggling to find any audience at the Indian box office as it enters its third week. The Huma Qureshi-starrer, which released on July 3, has been witnessing a steep decline in collections, reflecting the lack of commercial appeal despite positive critical reviews. On its 18th day, the film has completed its second week with an estimated Rs 1.29 crore net.
This brings the film's total India net collection to Rs 4.72 crore, while the India gross stands at approximately Rs 5.56 crore. The film's performance during the second week has been underwhelming, with a massive 62% drop compared to its first week.
A Disastrous Second Week
After a modest opening week that concluded with Rs 3.43 crore net, the film's second week saw a massive crash. The second week collections totalled just Rs 1.29 crore, with daily numbers dipping to as low as Rs 11 lakh on its 14th day. While the film's reviews were positive, the intense competition from commercial entertainers like 'Welcome To The Jungle' and 'Dhamaal 4' prevented it from creating a niche at the ticket windows.
Directed by Nachiket Samant and produced by Saqib Saleem under Saleem Siblings in association with Pune-04 Picture, the film features Huma Qureshi as Baby Karmarkar, a deaf-mute contract killer, alongside Sikandar Kher, Chunky Pandey, Seema Pahwa, Rachit Singh, Vidya Malvade, Himanshu Malik, Marudhar Shekhawat, and Arun Kushwah in pivotal roles.
Critical Acclaim But Commercial Failure
The film's technical team has been praised for their work, with Tojo Xavier's cinematography and Arjun Iyer's background score receiving positive notices. The screenplay, penned by Nachiket Samant, Gaurav Sharma, Jasmeet K Reen, and Parveez Shaikh, has been appreciated for its dark humour and unique concept. However, the screenplay has also been criticized for being predictable and failing to sustain its initial momentum.
Audience reviews have been polarized, with some praising Huma Qureshi's restrained performance and the film's quirky presentation, while others expressed disappointment over the weak climax and the film's inability to capture the magic of its premise. The film's extended runtime of 2 hours and 5 minutes has also been cited as a factor affecting its theatrical viability.
Looking Ahead at the Box Office
Trade analysts suggest that 'Baby Do Die Do' is now heading for a disastrous finish. Made on a reported budget of Rs 25 crore, the film has recovered only 18.88% of its investment, with losses exceeding Rs 20 crore. With collections slowing down considerably, the film is unlikely to add much more from here on. Based on current trends, the film is expected to close its entire run around Rs 4.5-6 crore, marking one of the major disappointments in Huma Qureshi's recent career.