Box office: 'Love Sex Aur Dhoka 2' drowns in disappointment
What's the story
The Dibakar Banerjee-directed and Ektaa Kapoor-produced, Love Sex Aur Dhokha 2 (LSD 2), is struggling to make ends meet at the box office.
After its lackluster opening of just ₹15 lakh, the film experienced a further decline in earnings on Saturday, raking in approximately ₹12 lakh (nett) in India.
Released alongside Vidya Balan's Do Aur Do Pyaar, both films face an uphill battle to attract audiences.
Collection
'LSD 2' failed to even earn ₹1cr in two days
By adding ₹12 lakh on Saturday, the film's total earnings in two days now stand at ₹27 lakh.
The movie recorded an overall Hindi occupancy of 5.56%, which remained consistent throughout the day from morning to night shows.
These disappointing numbers are a far cry from its predecessor, which stormed the box office with positive reviews and grossed ₹97.8M (US$1.2M), reportedly.
If you're skipping the theater experience, the film will soon be available on Netflix.
Film's narrative
'LSD 2' explores contemporary themes
A spiritual sequel to LSD, LSD 2 presents three distinct stories centered around themes of sex and betrayal in the digital age.
The first narrative features Noor (Paritosh Tiwari), who is transitioning genders.
The second story introduces Kullu (Bonita Rajpurohit), a transgender woman working at a metro station and moonlighting as a vlogger.
The final tale revolves around a young gamer (Abhinav Singh) whose pursuit for more followers lands him in deep trouble.
Director's insight
Banerjee cited limited release for low initial earnings
Banerjee believes that the film's limited release contributed to its low initial earnings.
In a conversation with The Indian Express, he stated, "Sometimes, a film has that transgressive quality which transgresses its immediate audience by some quirk of fate, destiny and real situation."
He further explained that another movie released on the same day had pre-booked many cinema halls.
"So there are only that many screens left for LSD and other films...So, it is also about power."
Audience response
Mixed reactions on social media
The film elicited mixed reactions from viewers on social media. While some appreciated its boldness, others found it lacking in engagement.
One user commented, "The story of the film is neither special nor good...But the audience will probably like it."
Another viewer expressed dissatisfaction, stating, "Love Sex Aur Dhokha 2 is turning out to be a big disaster! I'm already exhausted...neither song nor anything else so far has inclined me towards liking LSD 2."
Read our LSD 2 review here.