The most awaited movie of the year ‘Chhapaak’ is not performing as per the expectations of movie analysts. The uproar around the movie just a few days before its release aroused curiosity among movie buffs regarding its performance. According to Taran Adarsh, the movie was “ordinary” on day 1. He defined the collections on day 2 as “underwhelming” although there was progress.

On Friday the movie stood at Rs. 4.77 crores while on Saturday it showed progress. It stood at Rs. 6.90 crores. The growth and the pace of the film have to improve further, say critics. It is doing well at high-end multiplexes however business in Tier 2 and 3 cities was below expectations.

Deepika Padukone’s visit to JNU, standing in solidarity with the victims and students caused a stir and left masses divided. Her decision to visit the campus just days before the release of the movie was a bold move. She did it without fearing the repercussions the move would have on her film.

Her visit received support as well as backlash which might be one of the major contributing factors for the poor performance of the film. Trends such as #bycottdeepika and #Boycottchhapaak soon began trending. That said, some critics say that if the movie has the right ingredients to captivate the masses, the political backlash will in no way affect the performance of the movie.

Keeping stats aside, ‘Chhapaak’ has received mixed reviews on Twitter. Many enjoyed watching the film and given it a thumbs up whereas others have rated it as an average movie.

The movie is based on the true-life story of an acid attack survivor- Laxmi Agarwal played by Deepika Padukone. The film also stars Vikrant Massey. Namrata Joshi from ‘The Hindu’ expressed, “Padukone’s performance and Meghna Gulzar’s direction ensure that Chhapaak is like a splash that leaves you misty with emotions, if not entirely drenched.” While Ankur Pathak from Huffpost defined the movie as “a quietly powerful social commentary, a film that never allows you to be comfortable.” He considers it one of Deepika’s best performances.