Karan Johar's Kalank turns out to be a box office disappointment

Sanjay Dutt and Madhuri Dixit-Nene in Kalank

Karan Johar's Kalank may have arrived with a lot of promise, but the Varun Dhawan-Alia Bhatt starrer has turned out to be a box office disappointment. Despite having an enviable cast - that includes Sanjay Dutt and Madhuri Dixit-Nene - and a five-day extended weekend, the Abhishek Varman-directed project earned Rs 66.03 crore as the first weekend wound to a close.

Trade expert Amod Mehra attributes the poor word of mouth for the film's undoing. "It has clearly underperformed. The collection remained stagnant over the weekend, which is the worst news for any production house," says Mehra, adding that several theatres have reduced its shows. "It will be difficult for the film to break even." Trade guru Girish Wankhede points out that Kalank proves that superstars, without the aid of a strong plot, cannot guarantee box-office success.

"A movie will not flourish until the audience connects with the story. Kalank was expected to cross the Rs 100 crore mark by the weekend, but now, the lifetime business may not even cross the three-figure mark."

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates