‘Metro... In Dino’ finds its audience, earns Rs 32 crore despite tough competition

Anurag Basu’s latest directorial, Metro... In Dino, has been making steady strides at the box office, proving that grounded storytelling can hold its own even against big-ticket competition. As of its eighth day in theatres, the film has earned ?32.10 crore (nett), navigating its run despite sharing screens with premium showings of Hollywood hits like F1, Jurassic Park, and Superman.

Social media chatter initially cast a shadow on the film’s commercial prospects, with rumors suggesting a towering budget in the range of ?85–100 crore—raising questions about its ability to recover costs. But insiders have clarified that Metro... In Dino is, in fact, a modestly budgeted film.

“Metro... In Dino was made on a modest budget. The production cost was around ?40 crore, and around another ?7 crore was spent on print and advertising. It was always meant to be a heartfelt, grounded story. The focus was never on scale, but on telling something real and relatable,” a source close to the production told India Today.

That budget clarity has reframed the narrative around the film’s box office performance. With an expected second-Saturday boost of around ?3.5 crore, the film is well on its way to recovering costs and potentially turning a profit within days. Trade analysts point to the film’s sustained momentum in urban centres, where audiences are increasingly seeking well-written, authentic stories.

Kamal Gianchandani, Chief of Business Planning and Strategy at PVR INOX Limited, hailed the film’s performance as a promising sign for the industry. “The growing footfall at theatres has boosted box office business and underlines the demand for well-crafted content. Metro... In Dino is touted to be one of the successful films of 2025,” he said.

Backed by Bhushan Kumar’s T-Series, Metro... In Dino brings together an impressive ensemble cast, featuring Ali Fazal, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Sara Ali Khan, Aditya Roy Kapur, Pankaj Tripathi, Konkona Sensharma, Neena Gupta, and Anupam Kher. The film has been especially praised for its realistic portrayal of modern relationships and for writing its female characters with nuance and depth.

Following on the heels of Sitaare Zameen Par, which also found success with its emotional storytelling, Metro... In Dino signals a growing appetite for films that speak to audiences with authenticity rather than spectacle. For Anurag Basu, known for his deft handling of human stories, the film marks another entry in a body of work that prizes the real and the relatable over the extravagant.

As the film continues its theatrical run, industry observers see it as a reminder that heartfelt storytelling still has the power to draw audiences to the big screen—even in a crowded and competitive market.