Ground Zero struggles with Rs 37 lakh collection on day 1

Emraan Hashmi’s much-anticipated film

Ground Zero

has unfortunately had a disappointing start at the box office. The film, which marks his return to the big screen after playing the antagonist in Salman Khan’s blockbuster Tiger 3, was expected to open to decent numbers. Given the film’s sensitive subject — terrorism in Kashmir — and the tragic real-life incident that took place in Pahalgam recently, there was an assumption that the film might attract attention. However, it appears to be struggling since its morning shows on day one.

According to early trade reports, the film has witnessed several cancelled shows across the country due to lack of audience turnout. In fact, advance booking figures painted a grim picture even before the release, with just around 4,000 tickets sold across national multiplex chains for the opening day.

Ground Zero Movie Review
As per box office tracking portal Sacnilk, Ground Zero collected an underwhelming Rs 37 lakh through its morning and early afternoon shows. With the way the film’s occupancy and collections have been progressing through the day, it seems like the film will find it difficult to cross even the Rs 1 crore mark by the end of its opening day. Trade has noted that unless there’s a significant turnaround in evening and night shows or over the weekend, the film is likely to suffer at the ticket counters.
Ground Zero is set against the backdrop of insurgency-hit Kashmir in the early 2000s. The film tells the story of a critical operation led by BSF officer Narendra Nath Dubey, who played a key role in neutralizing the notorious terrorist mastermind Ghazi Baba — the man responsible for orchestrating the 2001 Indian Parliament attack. Emraan Hashmi steps into the role of the courageous officer, inspired by the real-life figure Narendra Nath Dhar Dubey.
The film follows Dubey’s eight-year tenure in Kashmir, where he not only carried out several dangerous counter-insurgency operations but also built a deep understanding of the region, its socio-political fabric, and the working of terror outfits. Despite a compelling subject and a seasoned performer like Emraan Hashmi at the center, Ground Zero seems to be finding it tough to draw audiences to theatres, perhaps due to limited promotions and stiff competition from other releases.
It remains to be seen if positive word-of-mouth or regional circuits can help the film pick up pace over the weekend.