Mumbai Box office circuits are buzzing with mixed results as Ajay Devgn's latest comedy, "Dhamaal 4," opened to a sluggish morning start on Friday, July 10, 2026. The film, the fourth installment in the popular "Dhamaal" franchise, recorded an initial occupancy of just 8.38% during its morning shows across India. Despite this slow beginning, the movie saw an increase in footfall throughout the day, ending its first day with a net collection of approximately Rs 13.75 crore at the domestic box office. Its worldwide gross reached an estimated Rs 21.5 crore on opening day.[indianexpress+2]
Dhamaal 4's Mixed Opening Performance
Directed by Indra Kumar, "Dhamaal 4" brought back familiar faces like Arshad Warsi, Riteish Deshmukh, and Jaaved Jaaferi alongside Ajay Devgn for another comedic adventure.The film's overall occupancy for its opening day stood at around 24.54% across 10,669 shows nationwide, improving from its low morning figures to 19.15% in the afternoon, 24.85% in the evening, and peaking at 42% during night shows.[indianexpress+3]
While "Dhamaal 4" comfortably outperformed Ajay Devgn's previous two releases, "De De Pyaar De 2" (Rs 8.75 crore) and "Son of Sardaar 2" (Rs 7.25 crore), it fell short of the opening day collection of the franchise's prior installment, "Total Dhamaal," which earned Rs 16.5 crore in 2019.It also lagged behind the recent comedy release "Welcome To The Jungle," which garnered Rs 19 crore, including paid previews.The film's first-day business was similar to "Welcome to the Jungle's" opening Friday haul of Rs 15.25 crore nett two weeks ago.[indianexpress+5]
Critics offered mixed reviews for "Dhamaal 4." Some viewers praised it as a "laugh riot" and an entertaining family watch, highlighting committed performances from the ensemble cast.However, others criticized its weak writing, recycled gags, and problematic humor, with specific mentions of "lazy writing" and "cringeworthy" AI-generated shots for backstory montages.Rishabh Suri of Hindustan Times gave the film 1.5 out of 5 stars, stating there was "little fun to be had" and that it "recycles its story, music and even its brand of comedy."Bollywood Hungama gave it 3 out of 5 stars, noting that while it is a "decent, clean entertainer," the screenplay dips in places.On its second day, Saturday, July 11, "Dhamaal 4" collected an estimated Rs 8.39 crore net by 5 PM, bringing its two-day India net total to Rs 22.39 crore.This second-day performance was modest compared to "Welcome To The Jungle," which collected Rs 20 crore net on its second day.[hindustantimes+9]
Holdovers Alpha and Welcome to the Jungle See Decline
Meanwhile, two significant holdover films, Alia Bhatt and Sharvari-starrer "Alpha" and Akshay Kumar's "Welcome to the Jungle," experienced noticeable drops in their box office numbers.
"Alpha," an action thriller, which premiered on July 3, 2026, entered its second week with a significant dip in collections.On its eighth day, Friday, July 10, the film added an estimated Rs 1.65 crore across 4,831 shows.This brought its total India net collection to Rs 49.10 crore.Its worldwide gross stood at Rs 82.06 crore after eight days.Morning occupancy for "Alpha" on its second Friday was 5.85%, showing a considerable decline from its opening.The film had an ordinary first week, collecting Rs 45.71 crore, and trade analysts now project a lifetime collection of around Rs 60 crore, labeling it a "major box office flop."Critics gave "Alpha" mixed-to-negative reviews, with only 20% of 10 critics' reviews being positive on Rotten Tomatoes.Reviewers described it as a "dull, fragmented and underwhelming drama" that "crashes into a narrative devoid of thrill."[en+10]
Akshay Kumar's action-comedy "Welcome to the Jungle," released on June 26, 2026, also saw its collections drop as it entered its third week.On its fifteenth day, Friday, July 11, the film collected an estimated Rs 1 crore net.This brings its total India net collection to Rs 129.90 crore.The film faced a substantial 38% reduction in its screen count, falling from over 6,000 shows to approximately 3,700 shows, directly impacted by the wide release of "Dhamaal 4."[timesofindia+4]
Despite the recent drop, "Welcome to the Jungle" has been deemed a box office "success," having already generated profits of 3.92% in its 15-day run.Its worldwide gross reached Rs 180.06 crore by its fourteenth day.The film has surpassed previous box office figures for Akshay Kumar's "Airlift" and Shraddha Kapoor's "Stree" to secure the 95th spot among the top 100 Hindi grossers at the Indian box office.Initial critical reception for "Welcome to the Jungle" was mixed, with some critics praising its entertainment value and Akshay Kumar's performance, while others found it chaotic and lacking a strong script.[koimoi+5]
The competitive Bollywood landscape in July 2026 continues to evolve, with new releases vying for audience attention while existing films strive to maintain their momentum.[timesofindia+1]
