Happy Patel vs Rahu Ketu: First Day Box Office Predictions — Can They Challenge ‘Dhurandhar’?

Friday, 16 January 2026, sees the release of three new Hindi comedy films: Happy Patel, Rahu Ketu, and One Two Cha Cha Cha. While all three aim to entertain audiences with laughter, they face stiff competition from six-week-old blockbuster Dhurandhar, which still earned ₹3 crore on its 42nd day.

New Releases at a Glance

• Happy Patel: Khatarnak Jasoos stars Vir Das, marking his return to comedy after the cult classic Delhi Belly. The film features Imran Khan in a cameo, and the dark comedy vibe has already drawn attention from urban multiplex audiences. Co-directed by Kavi Shastri, the film has a trailer that garnered over 41 million views, generating significant buzz.
• Rahu Ketu, an adventure comedy inspired by folklore, stars Pulkit Samrat and Varun Sharma, along with Shalini Pandey and Chunky Pandey. The film’s trailer has received over 16 million views, though its marketing campaign was relatively modest.
• One Two Cha Cha Cha, an action-adventure comedy featuring Abhishek Raj, Ashutosh Rana, and Lalit Prabhakar, has the lowest pre-release buzz among the three. Its trailer has 18 million views, but audience anticipation appears limited.

Box Office Predictions

• Happy Patel: Targeted at urban audiences, the film holds strong potential via positive word-of-mouth. With an ‘A’ certificate, younger viewers from schools and colleges will be absent, but first-day collections are expected between ₹1.5–3 crore nationwide. If evening shows see an uptick in audience turnout, earnings could cross ₹4 crore.
• Rahu Ketu: With moderate buzz and limited marketing, the film may earn ₹1–2 crore on opening day. Strong word-of-mouth could push the figure to ₹3 crore.
• One Two Cha Cha Cha: Among the three new releases, this film has the least impact pre-release. First-day earnings are expected around ₹20–50 lakh, though the film could surprise if it resonates with audiences.

Can They Challenge ‘Dhurandhar’?
Even after six weeks, Ranveer Singh–Akshay Khanna’s Dhurandhar continues to dominate, earning ₹3 crore on Thursday. While the new releases may perform well within their target audience segments, surpassing Dhurandhar’s box office dominance on opening day seems unlikely. Moreover, with Prabhas’s The Raja Saheb flop behind them and ‘Border 2’ set to release on 23 January, the coming weeks promise a competitive theatrical landscape.

In summary, while Happy Patel and Rahu Ketu have potential to find an audience through word-of-mouth, Dhurandhar’s continuing run underscores the staying power of a well-crafted blockbuster even against multiple new releases.