MUMBAI: This has been a disastrous week at the box office with exhibitors taking a big hit. This comes soon after the setback as they were made to pay high MGs and advances for Fan which they could not recoup. The three small time films released this week, Laal Rang, Nil Battey Sannata and Santa Banta Pvt Ltd have been rejected outright with their collections limited to a few lakhs each day of their opening weekend. Sadly for the exhibitors, they have nothing to curtail the shows of these films, as is done usually, with other films such as Jungle Book has. Fan is in its third week and limited footfalls, would have no takers anymore, since its collections went only downhill from the fourth day onwards.
Nil Battey Sannata had a title that went over one’s head, these titles fail to tell a prospective viewer what is in the offing. The film has merit and was also exempted from paying entertainment tax in Delhi and UP state. If other states also grant it exemption, as it deserves to, it will be too late to help the film. The film could not put together even Rs one crore for its opening weekend.
The makers may, however, take solace from the fact that, having been shot entirely in UP, this low budget film’s investment would be assured from the subsidy scheme of the UP government.
Laal Rang drew a few hundred more footfalls over others due to Randeep Hooda in the lead, yet remained in the Rs one crore range over the weekend. Hooda does not yet enjoy the status to assure a multi crore opener.
Santa Banta Pvt Ltd may well be the frontrunner for the status of the year’s worst, amateurish and juvenile film. To add to its problems, the film was withdrawn from many cinema halls due to the Sikh community protesting against defamatory and derogatory projection of the community.
The Jungle Book continued to do roaring business. The film has added an impressive Rs 46.8 core in its second week to take its two week total to Rs 120.8 crore. The trend for the third week is steady.
Fan, which had a reasonable opening on day one, it being a national holiday, started dropping from day two and three, failing to add the weekend audience. However, the drop from Monday onwards for rest of the four days was rather steep. The film could add about 30 per cent for the next four days to its three day opening weekend collections to end its first week with Rs 71.5 crore with the second weekend adding another Rs 7.75 crore.
KI & Ka added Rs 1.45 crore. The film’s three week tally stands at Rs 50.65 crore.
Kapoor & Sons collected Rs 20 lakh in its fifth week, taking its five week total to Rs 72.1 crore.
