Shahid Kapoor's Deva LEAKED online hours after theatrical release; threatens box office performance

Shahid Kapoor’s much-anticipated action thriller Deva has become the latest Bollywood film to fall victim to online piracy.
The movie that marks the actor's return to the big screen after nearly a year, was reportedly leaked online with pirated sites offering high definition (HD) prints within just of its theatrical release.
The leak poses as a significant challenge for the makers and the movie's box office run. This comes shortly after box office tracking sites reported a low advance booking for the film estimated between Rs 1-3 crore. While the film is poised to gain momentum over the weekend, relying heavily on word of mouth and favourable reviews, the leak could just affect its overall performance.

Despite its strong pre-release buzz, Deva is projected to have a slow start at the box office, with an estimated opening day collection of Rs 5-10 crore. The advance ticket sales stand at around Rs 1.7 crore, while the film’s gross collections, including block bookings, are expected to be approximately Rs 3.5 crore.
Prior to Deva, Kangana Ranaut's movie Emergency leaked online on the day of its release. While it is still not confirmed if the leak directly affected the film's box office collection, box office reports indicate that the film had a rather average run at the box office.
As far as box office numbers are concerned, the Akshay Kumar starrer Sky Force is the only Bollywood release in January to score big. The film which earned over Rs 87 crore net at the box office in its first week, is now on its way to cross the Rs 100 crore mark in its second weekend.