First weekend performance of latest release

Prediction for GOAL has turned out to be wrong. To think about it, the film's opening has surprised many because while an average opening of around 50% was being widely anticipated, a 80%-100% opening over the weekend at multiplexes (it's target audience) has come as a major push. Though it was always believed that film hungry audience would be looking to lay their hands on a quality film due to a gap of two weeks since the OSO/SAAWARIYA clash, a near full occupancy at theaters was a pleasant surprise indeed.

Though reviews have been mixed, none from audience has called it a bad film. Verdict ranges from 'theek-thaak' to 'one time watch' to 'quite good' which means a happy scenario for this UTV film. Children seem to be finding a liking to this Vivek Agnihotri film because of football as it's theme. As things stand today, it won't be a looser by any means and would end up making neat profits for it's investors.

Last week's movies

Due to OSO/SAAWARIYA euphoria, no film was planned for release in the week before.

From the past

If first week battering by two times the collections of SAAWARIYA was not enough, the declaration of second week collections has put the Sanjay Leela Bhansali film in an embarrassing state. In it's second week, OM SHANTI OM has gathered a mind blowing 25 crores, the kind of collections which any movie would love to have in it's first week! With only around 35% fall from the previous week with print count remaining intact, the film now stands at 65 crores. This means that in two weeks flat, OM SHANTI OM is now the highest grosser of the year while surpassing CHAK DE INDIA and PARTNER.

The film had an astonishing ~4.5 crores in Mumbai whereas Delhi crossed 2 crores too. Both Ahmedabad and Delhi NCR stood at around 90 lakhs. On the other hand SAAWARIYA crashed completely despite claims by the makers that the film had started finding audience in the second week. In it's second week, this Sanjay Leela Bhansali film took 80% fall while collecting only 4 crores. While Mumbai saw a major nosedive with only 60 lakhs to boast, Delhi barely crossed 30 lakhs. At 23.5 crores, the film now has little chance of survival in upcoming weeks. Though last week's 20 crores saved the film from a disaster status, a steep fall in collections mean that the film won't even reach the coverage mark.

OM SHANTI OM has clearly murdered SAAWARIYA at the box office, and how!

JAB WE MET juggernaut at the box office has been unprecedented to say the least. After being mercilessly sidelined due to SAAWARIYA being a preferred release, the true power of the film forced distributors and exhibitors to revive JAB WE MET. Results are for everyone to see as the film has not just stayed steady at the box office but in fact has even shown a 25% increase in collections. By gaining over 2.25 crores + in it's 4th week, the film has taken off on a journey which promises to be sustained over the weeks. In fact weekends at multiplexes are still going 100% which tells the tale!

There were only four films which made money in the week gone by - OM SHANTI OM, SAAWARIYA, JAB WE MET and last but not the least, good old BHOOL BHULAIYYA. Even with thickest of competition around ever since it's release, BHOOL BHULAIYYA has managed to stay firm and is now completing 50 days at the box office tomorrow. In the process it has now crossed 53 crores landmark after collecting another 75 lakhs in the week gone by. The film should end it's run while touching the 54 crores mark though it's DVD sales should be quite encouraging for weeks to come.

In the future

Just like CHAK DE INDIA, Yash Raj Films is under promoting and underselling AAJA NACHLE as well. However, being a Madhuri Dixit comeback film, much more vigor and charge was expected in creating the buzz and hype around the film, which is sadly missing. In fact it is quite disheartening but true that many cine goers are not even aware about the film hitting the screens! Disappointing. Don't expect a hurricane like start the box office. The film would open at an average note and only pick up by weekend based on it's entertainment quotient. The film would have to pick up soon though since Sanjay Gupta's DUS KAHANIYAAN which hits the screens a week later is all set to dominate any competition which comes it's way. Second release of the week, Atul Kulkarni-Rituparna Sengupta starrer GAURI - THE UNBORN, a horror/supernatural flick looks like a non-starter due to near to negligible promotion.