Vir Das’s directorial debut Happy Patel struggled to make an impact at the box office on its opening day, collecting Rs 1.25 crore nett on Friday, as per trade reports.

Produced by Aamir Khan Productions, Happy Patel had 1,689 shows nationwide but recorded an average occupancy of just 9.57 per cent, according to industry data-tracking platform Sacnilk.

Happy Patel hit screens alongside Rahu Ketu, featuring Pulkit Samrat and Varun Sharma, which had a slightly wider release of 1,764 shows. However, Rahu Ketu also underperformed, earning only Rs 1 crore nett on its opening day despite the popularity of the Fukrey duo.

In contrast, Dhurandhar continued to dominate the box office even in its seventh week. The Aditya Dhar-directed film, now in its 43rd day, collected Rs 1.65 crore nett, comfortably outperforming the new releases.

Happy Patel has also marked the lowest opening of Vir Das’s career to date, including films where he appeared in supporting roles. Badmaash Company opened at Rs 3.38 crore nett, while Delhi Belly began its run with Rs 6.98 crore nett. Go Goa Gone opened at Rs 3.65 crore nett.

Co-directed by Kavi Shastri, Happy Patel features Mithila Palkar, Mona Singh, Sharib Hashmi and Srushti Tawade in supporting roles.

The film also marks the return of actor Imran Khan to the big screen.