Taking on multiple creative responsibilities in modern filmmaking is an ambitious task, and Kunal Kemmu embraced it completely by serving as the lead actor, director, screenwriter, and producer for his latest venture, Vibe. Arriving in cinemas on 18 September 2026, the film earned an encouraging 7.3 out of 10 score on IMDb. However, the favorable initial reception has failed to convert into substantial footfalls at cinema halls, leaving the theatrical run on a remarkably slow trajectory. The film also marks a rare family collaboration, bringing veteran actress Sharmila Tagore alongside her son-in-law on the silver screen.
Day-Wise Performance Highlights Sharp Post-Weekend Drop
The film opened its theatrical account in India with a modest net collection of 1.70 crore rupees on its first day. Saturday witnessed an upward movement, bringing in 2.75 crore rupees, while Sunday marked the highest single-day earning with 3 crore rupees. Despite closing its opening weekend on a promising trajectory, the project experienced an immediate slump as soon as the working week commenced.
Collections dropped sharply to 90 lakh rupees on the fourth day. Tuesday showed slight resilience with 1.10 crore rupees on day five, followed by 1 crore rupees on day six. Ticket counters recorded further drop on day seven with earnings slipping to 80 lakh rupees, while the eighth day brought in 85 lakh rupees. With these numbers, the domestic gross collection stands at 14.37 crore rupees. Adding an overseas contribution of 2.05 crore rupees, the worldwide gross collection has reached 16.42 crore rupees across its first eight days.
Espionage Thrills and Comedy Across a Two-Hour Twenty-Six-Minute Runtime
Structured as an action, adventure, comedy, and thriller blend, the film runs for 2 hours and 26 minutes. The narrative centers on two inseparable friends named Hardik and Bugs, whose everyday routines take a chaotic turn when Hardik crosses paths with a young woman named Kareena. Following this encounter, Hardik inadvertently lands in the middle of a high-stakes national security probe.
Before they can comprehend their predicament, both friends find themselves trapped inside a convoluted covert intelligence operation overseen by secret agent Madam H, portrayed by Preity Zinta. What follows is a series of misadventures where two ordinary, inexperienced friends attempt to complete an intricate mission and rescue the nation while desperately trying to keep themselves out of harm's way.
Expanding Horizons After Madgaon Express and Directing Sharmila Tagore
Having previously established his directorial credentials with the commercially successful Madgaon Express, Kunal Kemmu expanded his creative horizons on this production. He managed writing duties alongside handling production responsibilities and fronting the cast. The ensemble features prominent names including Preity Zinta, Sparsh Shrivastava, Yashpal Sharma, and Dinesh Lal Yadav Nirahua, ensuring diverse regional and mainstream appeal.
A significant highlight of the production remains the appearance of Sharmila Tagore. This marks the very first time the veteran star and her son-in-law worked together on a cinematic project. Kunal Kemmu recounted in an interview that his wife Soha Ali Khan informed him about how much her mother admired Madgaon Express. Sharmila expressed an interest in making a lighthearted cameo appearance in his next film. Once Kunal explained the specifics of the part, she agreed without hesitation, offering him the unique opportunity of directing his mother-in-law and calling action and cut on her scenes.
Footfall Headwinds in Theaters and Future Prospects on OTT
Despite the solid critical baseline reflected in the 7.3 IMDb rating, the lukewarm theater attendance underscores the uphill battle mid-budget comedies face in pulling crowds to ticket counters. With weekday occupancy remaining constrained, industry watchers anticipate that the project will likely find a wider audience and stronger viewership when it eventually debuts on digital streaming platforms.
