Two family entertainers are releasing this Thursday - Badhaai Ho and Namaste England. In fact both are seeing advanced release on Thursday which makes sense for two reasons. First and foremost this would allow them a four day weekend since Friday is Dusshehra holiday. Secondly, since none of the new releases of the week (with an exception of Tumbbad) is showing any signs of finding much attention from audience in the second week, exhibitors would rather bring in new films.
Let’s talk about Badhaai Ho first. The film has been making good buzz ever since its promo was unveiled. It fetched a unanimously positive response from all over and ensured that the marketing and promotion that followed from that point on was in the right direction. Moreover, Ayushmann Khurranna is finding audience interest going for picking newer subject film after film. Same is the case with Badhaai Ho as well which boasts of a unique concept and has a very desi appeal to it. Rest assured, the film is set to be the biggest opener till date for Ayushmann Khurranna and should open around the Rs. 6 crore mark.
Namaste England, the second release of the week, could see a similar number as well on the opening day. On a regular Friday, a film with credentials like Arjun Kapoor and Parineeti Chopra would have carried the potential to open better. Moreover, Vipul Shah is making a comeback to direction and that too with the franchise that has seen his most loved film till date, Namaste London, find a cult status over the years. While the response to the promo and songs has been decent, somehow the follow through in marketing and promotion has been just fair when it could have been more aggressive. That would have ensured that the film get a double digit opening though for now it would have to settle for lesser.
Nonetheless, since both films have a four day weekend going for them, Thursday number would be an added bonus and eventually word of mouth would be the deciding factor around which of the two films progresses ahead and faster.
