Director Imtiaz Ali’s much-panned romantic drama Love Aaj Kal fell apart over the weekend, after starting well on Friday. The Kartik Aaryan and Sara Ali Khan-starrer that made Rs. 11.75 crore thanks to the Valentine’s Day festivities on its first day, stumbled down to Rs. 7 crore on Saturday and Rs. 6.50 crore on Sunday, managing a weekend total of around Rs. 25.50 crore.

“Love Aaj Kal is rejected. Dips on day two, falls flat on day three. Advantage (of) Valentine’s Day (day one), else three-day total would be lower. Tough road ahead (on weekdays),” trade analyst Taran Adarsh tweeted.

Trade website Box Office India pointed out that the film, a reboot of Ali’s own Love Aaj Kal starring Saif Ali Khan and Deepika Padukone released in 2009, has made less than the original (Rs. 27 crore) in its opening weekend. To be sure, there was good news coming in after the first day, when the film had emerged as Aaryan’s highest opening day earner, ahead of hits like Pati Patni Aur Woh (Rs. 8.34 crore), Luka Chuppi (Rs. 7.76 crore) and Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety (Rs. 6.18 crore). But the 40% dip on Saturday proved that even the limited multiplex audience loyal to Ali’s cinema did not lap the film up. Even the first day earnings got a 35-40% boost thanks to the film’s marketing cashing in on the romantic Valentine’s Day vibe. Territories like Delhi NCR, central India, Rajasthan and Gujarat had brought in particularly good numbers though metros like Mumbai, Pune and Bengaluru had remained flat even then.

Meanwhile, Ajay Devgn’s period drama Tanhaji- The Unsung Warrior continues to be the big blockbuster of the season. The film that has crossed the Rs. 262 crore mark at last count seems to have managed about Rs. 2.75-3 crore in its sixth weekend in theatres. Having benefited from the rejection of Love Aaj Kal is last week’s release Malang that had made Rs. 42.75 crore at last count.

"Malang maintains at similar levels (on second Saturday vis-a-vis Friday). Rejection of Love Aaj Kal will benefit the film," Adarsh tweeted.