If you thought Punjabi cinema was slowing down, think again! Gippy Grewal and Ammy Virk just delivered a strong opening weekend with their latest comedy, Sarbala Ji, clocking in at an impressive ₹12 crore worldwide. That’s not too shabby, especially in a month packed with big Bollywood releases.
But here’s where it gets interesting—most of that firepower came from Punjab, not the usual national hotspots like Delhi or Uttar Pradesh. And guess who’s partly to blame for that? One word: Saiyaara.
A Healthy Start, Especially at Home
Sarbala Ji pulled in ₹11.5 crore approx over its first weekend across the globe. Of that, ₹5 crore came from India, while the overseas markets—especially Canada, UK, and Australia—chipped in with a neat USD 750K (₹6.5 crore).
The growth pattern was promising too. While Friday was on the slower side, the film caught steam over the weekend:
- Friday: ₹1.20 crore
- Saturday: ₹1.60 crore
- Sunday: ₹2.20 crore
That’s a clear upward trend, and Sunday’s jump from Friday was nearly double—something every producer dreams of.
Punjab to the Rescue (Again)
Let’s be honest—when it comes to box office for Punjabi films, Punjab always carries the team. This time was no different. While the growth across India stayed flat (hello, Delhi and UP ), Punjab saw Sunday collections more than double from its Friday numbers.
People showed up, laughed, and clearly had a good time with Gippy and Ammy’s on-screen bromance. But in other regions, the numbers didn’t pop as expected. Why? Well, that brings us to the Bollywood elephant in the room…
Enter: Saiyaara – The Juggernaut
Just when Sarbala Ji was hoping to stretch its legs across North India, Saiyaara stormed in and stole the show. Released just a day before, this Bollywood biggie made an explosive entry at the box office, especially in Delhi-NCR and UP.
For Sarbala Ji, that meant a tougher fight for screens and attention—something every Punjabi film has had to deal with when clashing with mainstream Hindi releases. And unfortunately, this time, Saiyaara’s buzz was just too big to ignore.
But hey, Sarbala Ji held its own where it mattered most—in Punjab. That’s its core audience, and they showed up big time.
Can Sarbala Ji Sustain the Momentum?
Now that the weekend is over, all eyes are on the weekday numbers. Monday will tell us whether Sarbala Ji has real legs or if it was a one-weekend wonder.
The early reports? Pretty decent. Critics and audiences alike have called it a fun, light-hearted entertainer with a great chemistry between Gippy and Ammy. Not to mention, it’s been a while since Punjabi cinema delivered a strong local success story. So the industry’s watching closely.
Also worth noting: the Punjabi film industry has been seeing more hits overseas than back home lately. Films like Sardaar Ji 3 have crushed it internationally, but back in India, only a few (like Saunkan Saunkne 2) have performed decently. If Sarbala Ji keeps up this pace, it could be the next big domestic win Punjabi cinema needs right now.
