Filmmaker Imtiaz Ali says he is overwhelmed by the audience response to his latest film Main Vaapas Aaunga, which has staged a remarkable turnaround at the box office in its second week after a modest start.

The Partition drama, which released on June 12, earned Rs 2.50 crore nett in India on its second Monday, according to industry data-tracking portal Sacnilk. The film had earned Rs 1.15 crore nett on its first Monday.

“Ultimately, 'Janata janardan hai'. We always try to predict people, put them into categories and socio-economic classes and we try to make strategies to predict how people are going to react to a brand or a film, but I think people largely understand cinema. We should actually learn from them how to make a film and how to market films,” Ali told PTI.

“I am overwhelmed by the response to Main Vaapas Aaunga. I find myself going to cinema theatres and just gazing at the faces of the audience and seeing the film through their eyes. I have been to six cities already and planning to go to more,” he added.

The film opened to positive reviews but witnessed a subdued box office performance during its first three days. Collections began to pick up on day seven, when it earned Rs 2.20 crore nett, taking its first-week total to Rs 12.25 crore nett.

In a strong second-week showing, the film collected around Rs 12 crore nett in just three days, matching its entire first-week earnings.

Encouraged by the positive word-of-mouth, distributors and exhibitors also increased the number of shows.

Starring Naseeruddin Shah, Diljit Dosanjh, Vedang Raina and Sharvari, the film has so far earned Rs 26.75 crore nett in India, according to Sacnilk.

Ali credited exhibitors and distributors for responding swiftly to audience demand and expanding the film's reach.

“In this journey, I have realised the amazing connection between audience and exhibitors, the theatre halls and the distributors, what we call trade and who we usually are scared off as filmmakers... It has been a divine connection for Main Vaapas Aaunga.

“The community of exhibitors, theatre owners and distributors and so many people from the trade have stepped and supported Main Vaapas Aaunga as though it is their film. The community of distributors and exhibitors has started shows at unlikely times at so many theatres because of the audience demand,” the filmmaker said.

Featuring music by A.R. Rahman and lyrics by Irshad Kamil, Main Vaapas Aaunga is set in present-day India and unfolds through the recollections of a 95-year-old man. As his grandson pieces together fragments of his story, a tale of Partition, trauma and enduring love emerges.

The film is produced by Birla Studios and Applause Entertainment in association with Window Seat Films.