Consider this:
- Vidhu Vinod Chopra, after MUNNABHAI M.B.B.S.
- Pradeep Sarkar, an ad film maker of repute, who has dabbled in music videos with successful results.
- Saif Ali Khan, going through the best phase professionally, post-KAL HO NAA HO and HUM TUM.
- Sanjay Dutt, the icing on the cake. The star charisma.
- Rajkumar Hirani, the MUNNABHAI director, now the creative producer of PARINEETA.
- To top it all, PARINEETA is based on the classic literary work by none other than Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay.
An A-list project by all standards…
So, expecting PARINEETA to embark on a flying start at the box-office was a foregone conclusion. But the Friday collections -- in the range of 45% to 75% -- did catch the trade watchers by surprise [the multiplexes showed a better start]. Ideally, this 2005 adaptation of an early 20th century classic should've garnered a 90% + start everywhere, irrespective of the merits of the film.
The multiplexes of Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata performed exceedingly well in the first weekend, while the business at some single screens [those frequented by the hardcore masses] was not befitting a biggie. The business ranged from average to dull at places!
Monday onwards, the film has been holding well at the multiplexes [the PVR chain in North, the Fame chain in Mumbai, the Inox chain in Mumbai circuit and Kolkata in particular have recorded wonderful collections], but the collections did fall to 40% at some screens on Tuesday.
However, the silver lining is that the business at multiplexes is pretty strong [75% +, on an average till Wednesday night] and with multiple shows throughout the week [at places, 9 shows a day!], the first week billing from three circuits -- Mumbai, Delhi and Bengal -- should be decent. But in some circuits, especially those where mass-entertainers rule, the business isn't half as convincing.
Of course, the fact cannot be denied that the film is being patronized by the elite/gentry and going by the reports, PARINEETA should stay steady in the second weekend at multiplexes. But, again, everything depends on how the new releases are received by the moviegoers.
