By Leslie Rajan 
Vikas Bahl’s latest supernatural horror thriller, “Shaitaan,” featuring Ajay Devgn, Jyotika, and R Madhavan in pivotal roles, continues its triumphant journey at the box office, surpassing expectations with each passing day. On Sunday, the film witnessed its highest single-day collection since its release.
With no formidable competitors in the cinematic landscape, “Shaitaan” maintains its stronghold, captivating audiences and raking in impressive numbers at the ticket counters.
The film opened to a promising start, amassing Rs 14.75 crore on its premiere day, followed by a notable surge of 27 per cent on Saturday, accumulating Rs 18.75 crore. Its momentum only intensified on its third day in theatres, with Sunday’s collections soaring to an India nett collection of Rs 20.5 crore, propelling its total domestic earnings to Rs 54 crore.
Throughout Sunday, “Shaitaan” boasted an overall occupancy rate of 36.24 per cent across the Hindi market, experiencing fluctuations in attendance rates across different time slots. Morning shows commenced with a 21.35 per cent occupancy, escalating to 37.61 per cent during the afternoon, and peaking at 48.58 per cent for the evening screenings. However, there was a slight dip during the night shows, recording a 37.40 per cent occupancy.
Having crossed the Rs 50 crore milestone within just three days, “Shaitaan” anticipates a crucial test on Monday, a pivotal day for sustaining its momentum. However, the film falls short of eclipsing the daily box office figures of Devgn’s “Drishyam 2,” which amassed Rs 64 crore within the same timeframe.
A reinterpretation of the 2023 Gujarati film “Vash,” “Shaitaan” is a collaborative effort by Devgn Films, Jio Studios, and Panorama Studios. The film boasts music by Amit Trivedi, cinematography by Sudhakar Reddy Yakkanti, and editing by Sandeep Francis.
In her critique of the film, The Indian Express’ Shubhra Gupta remarked, “After whetting our appetites with a few well-staged command and control sequences, Ajay Devgn takes over. And how can a hero, even if he has allowed himself to be bashed up and bloodied till then, not win?”