‘Salaam | Namaste’ Amongst Biggest Openers In Overseas!

Yash Raj has never had it so good! Their latest venture SALAAM | NAMASTE has opened really big in the three major markets -- U.S.A., U.K. and Australia. How impressive are the opening weekend numbers, let's compare it with Yash Raj's earlier hits/blockbusters in Overseas.

In U.K., SALAAM | NAMASTE is next to VEER-ZAARA and MOHABBATEIN, but better than BUNTY AUR BABLI, DHOOM, HUM TUM, SAATHIYA, MUJHSE DOSTI KAROGE and MERE YAAR KI SHAADI HAI [see chart below].

Comparatively speaking, SALAAM | NAMASTE also holds the distinction of being the second biggest opener in U.K. in 2005, after MANGAL PANDEY - THE RISING. The film has overtaken biggies like KISNA, BEWAFAA, LUCKY, WAQT, KAAL, BUNTY AUR BABLI, PARINEETA, PAHELI, DUS, MAINE PYAAR KYUN KIYA and BARSAAT [see chart below].

In U.S.A., SALAAM | NAMASTE is next to VEER-ZAARA, but better than BUNTY AUR BABLI [its 4-day gross is less than SALAAM | NAMASTE's 3-day gross], DHOOM, HUM TUM [again, its 4-day gross is less than SALAAM | NAMASTE's 3-day gross] and SAATHIYA [see chart below].

Comparatively speaking, SALAAM | NAMASTE is the No. 3 biggest opener in 2005 in U.S.A., after PAHELI and MANGAL PANDEY - THE RISING. The opening week is better than BLACK, BEWAFAA, MUGHAL-E-AZAM, LUCKY, WAQT, KAAL, BUNTY AUR BABLI, PARINEETA, VIRUDDH, SARKAR and NO ENTRY [see chart below].

The opening weekend numbers of SALAAM | NAMASTE in Australia has caught everyone by surprise. Yash Raj's new film has smashed all previous records of Hindi films, including the opening weekend figures of VEER-ZAARA and MANGAL PANDEY - THE RISING, in Australia. The film has embarked on the biggest start ever by a Hindi film [see chart below]!

Weekend: September 9 - 11, 2005.

U.K. BOX-OFFICE

• SALAAM | NAMASTE has debuted at No. 14 position. In its opening weekend, the film has collected £ 208,365 [approx. Rs. 1.67 crores] on 34 screens, with the per screen average working out to £ 6,128. In terms of screen average this weekend, the film occupies the No. 1 position, overtaking all ten Hollywood/foreign openers this week.

Check out U.K. statistics [from 1999 to 2005] of Saif Ali Khan | Preity Zinta | Arshad Warsi | Abhishek Bachchan

BIGGEST OPENERS IN U.K. - 2005

YASH RAJ FILMS IN U.K.

• NO ENTRY [last weekend: No. 14, this weekend: No. 21]: In its third weekend, the film has collected £ 31,475 on 31 screens, with the per screen average working out to £ 1,015. Total: £ 339,190 [approx. Rs. 2.71 crores].





• BARSAAT [last weekend: No. 21, this weekend: No. 27]: In its fourth weekend, the film has collected £ 13,962 on 20 screens, with the per screen average working out to £ 698. Total: £ 454,660 [approx. Rs. 3.63 crores].





• MANGAL PANDEY - THE RISING [last weekend: No. 23, this weekend: No. 32]: In its fifth weekend, the film has collected £ 6,896 on 9 screens, with the per screen average working out to £ 766. Total: £ 615,069 [approx. Rs. 4.92 crores].

TOP FILMS IN U.K.

[Based on screen averages]

U.S.A. BOX-OFFICE

• SALAAM | NAMASTE has debuted at No. 20 position. In its opening weekend, the film has collected $ 504,898 [approx. Rs. 2.21 crores] on 63 screens, with the per screen average working out to $ 8,014. In terms of screen average this weekend, the film occupies the No. 2 position in the U.S. charts [total: 130 films].

BIGGEST OPENERS IN U.S.A. - 2005

YASH RAJ FILMS IN U.S.A.

• NO ENTRY [last weekend: No. 33, this weekend: No. 51]: In its third weekend, the film has collected $ 36,446 on 49 screens, with the per screen average working out to $ 743. Total: $ 628,886 [approx. Rs. 2.76 crores].

NEW YORK CITY BOX-OFFICE

• SALAAM | NAMASTE has debuted at No. 15 position. In its opening weekend, the film has collected $ 49,185 on 3 screens, with the per screen average working out to $ 16,395.





• NO ENTRY [last weekend: No. 38, this weekend: No. 40]: In its second weekend, the film has collected $ 4,612 on 1 screen. New York total: $ 14,179.





• MANGAL PANDEY - THE RISING [last weekend: No. 35, this weekend: No. 58]: In its fifth weekend, the film has collected $ 1,633 on 2 screens, with the per screen average working out to $ 817. New York total: $ 118,579.

AUSTRALIA BOX-OFFICE

[4-day weekend: September 8 - 11, 2005]

• In its opening weekend [No. 13], SALAAM | NAMASTE has collected Australia $ 130,780 [approx. Rs. 44.08 lacs] on 9 screens, with the per screen average working out to $ 14,531. In terms of screen average this weekend, the film occupies the No. 1 position in the Australian Top 20 charts.

COMPARATIVE STUDY OF BIGGIES IN AUSTRALIA