Expectations from the Spiritual Sequel
The Hindi movie industry was excited for a romantic comedy film Cocktail 2 when it made its premiere on June 19, 2026. The project was spearheaded by director Homi Adajania, with Luv Ranjan and Tarun Jain on writing duties. Dinesh Vijan and Luv Ranjan, backed by Maddock Films and Luv Films, produced this venture, which is a spiritual descendant of the 2012 movie of the same name.
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The first installment, starring Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone, and Diana Penty, garnered widespread acclaim for its realistic portrayal of modern romance and urban camaraderie.
The newest production, aimed at reviving that same spirit, featured a new trio in Shahid Kapoor, Kriti Sanon, and Rashmika Mandanna. With an estimated production cost of approximately 150 crore rupees, the film required a robust box office performance from the get-go to recover its substantial investment. The narrative centers on a love triangle spanning the scenic vistas of Sicily and India. Shahid Kapoor plays the role of a chef, Kunal, in a relationship with his long-term girlfriend, an architect named Diya (Rashmika Mandanna).
The duo’s idyllic romance is disrupted by Alisha (Kriti Sanon), a fun-loving dance instructor they meet on vacation in Italy.
# Post-Weekend Box Office Slide
The film began its box office journey on a promising note, grossing 13.50 crore rupees in India on its opening day, Friday. The momentum picked up on Saturday, with collections reaching 16.25 crore rupees, and hit a high on Sunday, raking in 17.75 crore rupees. The first weekend concluded with a domestic net of 47.50 crore rupees.
However, this upward trend couldn’t be sustained through the weekdays, leading to a steep decline in revenue.
Monday and Tuesday saw the daily earnings fall to 6.75 crore rupees each, followed by 5.25 crore rupees on Wednesday and 4.25 crore rupees on Thursday. The film’s first full week ended with a domestic net collection of 70.50 crore rupees. The second week witnessed a further slowdown in collections. While Friday earned 4.00 crore rupees and Saturday 4.25 crore rupees, Sunday recorded a flat 4.40 crore rupees.
By Day 11, the second Monday, daily earnings plummeted to a dismal 1.75 crore rupees.
By this point, the total domestic net collection stood at 84.95 crore rupees, with a worldwide gross of 129.42 crore rupees. This performance falls significantly short of the 150 crore rupee budget, indicating a rapid cooling of interest.
# Critic Opinions on the Lead Actors
A primary factor contributing to the abrupt decrease in audience interest can be attributed to the reviews provided by trade analysts and film critics. Many critics pointed out a dated script lacking substance and emotional authenticity. The Indian Express reviewer, Shubhra Gupta, awarded the film 2.5 stars, critiquing its heavy reliance on flashy visuals and incessant chatter, with Pritam’s background score filling the narrative gaps.
The performance of the two female lead actresses received considerable criticism from major reviewers.
They observed a lack of natural chemistry between the lead trio, and while the script demanded intense emotional portrayals, the execution failed to resonate with the audience. Weak dialogue delivery and unconvincing expressions were recurring themes in several mainstream reviews.
The Screen Crunch and Economic Realities
Adding to the film’s woes, its second week saw it facing significant competition in theaters with the release of Welcome to the Jungle, a multi-starrer comedy starring Akshay Kumar. This new film occupied a substantial number of single screens and premium multiplex showtimes across India. The availability of screens for Homi Adajania’s romantic drama was drastically reduced, leaving limited opportunity for it to recoup its expenses.
Overseas, the film managed to generate a gross collection of 28.10 crore rupees by its eleventh day.
Although it surpassed the lifetime gross of Shahid Kapoor’s earlier 2026 release, O’Romeo (72.99 crore rupees domestic net), it is still struggling to reach the 100 crore net mark in India. Trade analysts emphasize that in terms of present-day value, the film’s performance is considerably lower than that of the original 2012 film, which collected 74.50 crore rupees domestically and was a success.
Audience Sentiment and Flaws in Character Writing
A significant portion of moviegoers expressed dissatisfaction with the writing of the female characters. Nandini Ramnath of Scroll.in described the love triangle as a laborious effort, categorizing the characters as Kunal’s saintliness, Diya’s incessant anxiety, and Ally’s overt sexuality. She stated in her review that the women became increasingly sillier as the nearly three-hour film progressed without a definitive conclusion.
The plot’s central element, where Ally attempts to seduce Kunal at Diya’s behest to test his loyalty, culminating in a climactic confrontation before the wedding, was widely seen as unsuitable for a theatrical feature.
Instead, it was perceived as more fitting for a reality TV show. Positive word-of-mouth was virtually non-existent, particularly in major metropolitan areas where such romantic dramas typically thrive. The lack of palpable tension and the repetitive conflicts between Kunal, Diya, and Ally quickly alienated audiences once the initial buzz of the opening weekend faded.
