Ayushmann Khurrana and Sara Ali Khan’s new spy comedy Udta Teer has opened to a quiet start at the Indian box office. The film, which released in theatres on Friday, October 23, collected Rs 4.10 crore net on its first day, according to early trade figures reported on Saturday. Its gross collection stood at Rs 4.83 crore.
It is not a disastrous opening for a mid-budget Hindi film, but it is clearly below what the trade had hoped for from a star-led comedy with a wide release. The film played across 6,265 shows on day one, which makes the modest turnout stand out even more. For a film of this scale, the opening suggests that word of mouth, rather than advance hype, will now decide how far it goes.
A slow start, but night shows offered hope
The day-one pattern tells an interesting story. Overall occupancy for Hindi 2D screenings was 15.65 percent, with morning shows drawing the weakest crowds at just 5.08 percent. Things picked up as the day went on. Afternoon shows recorded 14.46 percent occupancy, evening shows 13.77 percent, and night shows led the way at 25 percent.
In other words, audiences who did turn up largely came after work, and the film’s best shows were its last ones. The film registered around 1,87,849 footfalls on day one, working out to roughly Rs 6,544 per show on average. That late-day momentum is the one clear positive the makers can carry into the weekend, since Saturday and Sunday will show whether the night-show buzz turns into repeat footfalls and family audiences.
What Udta Teer is about
Directed by Aakash Kaushik, Udta Teer mixes undercover espionage with comic confusion. Ayushmann Khurrana plays Bilal Ahmed, a Pakistani agent who takes on the identity of Vikrant Thapar to infiltrate India’s Counter Terrorism Squad. His mission gets complicated when his Indian superior asks him to find a mole inside the organisation itself.
Sara Ali Khan plays Yamini, an employee of the Defence Ministry, and Bilal’s personal life adds another layer of chaos to his covert assignment. The supporting cast includes Rahul Bose, Ram Kapoor and Gulshan Grover. The film leans on mistaken identities and awkward confrontations, the kind of setup that usually depends heavily on audience reactions in the hall.
How the opening compares with Ayushmann’s recent films
For context, the opening falls well short of Ayushmann Khurrana’s other 2026 releases. His previous film with Sara Ali Khan, Pati Patni Aur Woh Do, had opened at Rs 9.10 crore net, nearly twice Udta Teer’s day-one figure. Before that, Thamma, the horror comedy from Dinesh Vijan’s universe, had opened at Rs 24 crore during the Diwali window and went on to earn Rs 187.59 crore.
Those comparisons come with a caveat. Thamma had the advantage of a festive release and an established franchise universe behind it, while Udta Teer arrived on an ordinary Friday without that tailwind. Even so, the gap underlines how much the film now needs strong weekend growth to stay in the conversation.
- Day 1 India net: Rs 4.10 crore
- Day 1 India gross: Rs 4.83 crore
- Shows on day one: 6,265
- Overall Hindi 2D occupancy: 15.65 percent
- Best slot: night shows at 25 percent occupancy
- Day-one footfalls: around 1,87,849
What happens next for Udta Teer
The next two days will be decisive. Spy comedies often grow through word of mouth if audiences enjoy the humour, and the film’s night-show performance hints that viewers who watched it late on Friday may be spreading the word. On the other hand, a slow Friday can also mean screens start shrinking quickly if Saturday does not show a clear jump.
Trade watchers will be looking at three things over the weekend: whether Saturday occupancy beats Friday’s 15.65 percent, whether family audiences turn up for afternoon shows, and whether the film holds its show count into Monday. A healthy weekend could still push the film towards a respectable lifetime total. A flat Saturday, though, would leave it fighting for screens against bigger holdover titles.
For now, Udta Teer is a film with a modest opening and a weekend to win. The numbers are in, the audience verdict is forming show by show, and the next 48 hours will tell us which way this spy comedy is headed.
FAQs
How much did Udta Teer earn on day 1?
Udta Teer collected Rs 4.10 crore net and Rs 4.83 crore gross in India on its opening day, Friday, October 23.
Who stars in Udta Teer?
Ayushmann Khurrana and Sara Ali Khan lead the cast, with Rahul Bose, Ram Kapoor and Gulshan Grover in supporting roles.
Who directed Udta Teer?
The spy comedy is directed by Aakash Kaushik.
What is Udta Teer about?
It follows Bilal Ahmed, a Pakistani agent posing as Vikrant Thapar, who infiltrates India’s Counter Terrorism Squad and must also hunt for a mole inside it.
When did Udta Teer release?
Udta Teer released in theatres on Friday, October 23, 2026.
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