There was a lull before the storm [ANKAHEE, APARICHIT, AATMA]. Then FANAA hit like a typhoon and stormed the box-office. A week later, we're still reeling under the FANAA spell. That's one of the prime reasons why the two new releases, LOVE KE CHAKKAR MEIN and SACRED EVIL, were completely ignored by moviegoers.
If you follow the business practices carefully, you'll realize that a week before and a week after a blockbuster hits the screens are tough for the new releases. The viewers have their eyes fixed on the keenly-anticipated film and everything else in the radius gets swept away by the hurricane-like effect of the biggie.
FANAA, of course, continues to be a one-horse race in India and Overseas. At the rate the film is faring, there's a strong possibility that it might emerge the biggest hit of the year so far. Where FANAA scores over the other hits is its huge business at both big and small centres, multiplexes and single screens.
LOVE KE CHAKKAR MEIN and SACRED EVIL lacked star presence to arouse any kind of initial curiosity. At least SACRED EVIL had a hatke theme as its USP, but LOVE KE CHAKKAR MEIN had nothing to rave or rant about. It came across as a desperate attempt to tickle your funny bone, nothing else. However, both the films met with a similar fate at the ticket window: Disaster.
But the weeks ahead look more than exciting. There's PHIR HERA PHERI and CHUP CHUP KE this Friday, KRRISH on June 23 [it'll be released with over 800 prints, reportedly] and SUPERMAN RETURNS on June 30 [simultaneous with the U.S. release]. There's talk that Warner Bros. is flooding the Indian market with the English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu versions of SUPERMAN RETURNS, making it the biggest release in India for a Hollywood film.
Besides the normal prints, SUPERMAN RETURNS will also be released in three IMAX screens in India. Also, for the first time, the 3D version of a live action film will be released in the country, says Blaise Fernandes of Warner Bros. All said and done, there's plenty to look forward to in June!
THIS WEEK, LAST YEAR
[Weekend: June 3-5, 2005]
Gangster films fare the best in Mumbai. Be it PARINDA, SATYA, VAASTAV or COMPANY, these talked-about films have yielded the best returns from Mumbai-Maharashtra specifically. And there's a reason to justify this. The Mumbaiya flavor, the tapori lingo, the backdrop of the film, the ambience… these factors are identifiable more in this state than elsewhere.
Therefore, it didn't come as a surprise that D had the best start in Mumbai. One of the most significant films produced by Ramgopal Varma and UTV, the film makes a sincere effort to narrate the story of a simpleton's rise from the ashes.
D had a slow start in Mumbai. The opening shows were in the range of 45% +, but a strong word of mouth gradually attracted cinegoers before the first day came to a close. This low-budget film, filmed mostly in the bylanes of Mumbai, had an exciting weekend in Mumbai and several centres of Maharashtra. In other circuits, expectedly, the film failed to garner the same reception.
