Releasing a film during the holy month of Ramadan is indeed a tough decision for film-makers/Studios, since an enormous chunk of the movie-going audience stays away from theatres, thus affecting the business of the film in question. When the release date of KICK was being decided upon, I am sure, Sajid Nadiadwala as well as UTV were in two minds, whether to release the movie on Friday [pre-Eid] or mid-week [on Eid], thus taking advantage of the festive season.
Though the dates had their share of advantages and disadvantages, a Friday release would mean 4 extra days of box-office [Fri to Mon], whereas a Tuesday release would signify 4 reduced days at the ticket counters. Also, a Tuesday release, coinciding with Eid, would ensure a humongous start for the film, whereas a Friday release -- during the holy month of Ramadan -- would affect its business to a major extent.
Nonetheless, with KICK embarking on an extraordinary start across the nation, the naysayers were left with no choice but to eat their words. There were reservations about the business getting affected due to its release on the last Friday of Ramadan -- a couple of days prior to Eid -- but the sea of people outside cinema halls and the House Full boards clearly demonstrated that the incredible hype surrounding the film had translated into an overwhelming start across the board.
What does one attribute the splendid start to? Several factors: Salman Khan + the winning musical score + stylish stunts [the viewer got a gist of it in the promos] + power-packed dialogue ['Mere baare mein itna mat sochna, dil mein aata hoon, samajh mein nahin' has become legendary] + wonderful pre-release promotion. In fact, the pre-release buzz grew manifold at the launch of its trailer at a cinema hall in Bandra [a suburb of Mumbai] and the hardcore fans of Salman -- even those who aren't -- were expecting KICK to start with a big bang. And KICK did create the right noises when it opened!
While the film has recorded marvelous figures over the weekend, its business will witness massive growth once the Eid festivities begin. The weekdays, therefore, will add to the big, fat total and the Week 1 figure would be unimaginable and unthinkable for many.
With no major release acting as the roadblock till ENTERTAINMENT arrives on 8 August, KICK is expected to continue its dream run at the ticket window.
Salman Khan's highest grosser is EK THA TIGER [2012], which grossed Rs 198.78 cr nett in the domestic market. Will KICK go past EK THA TIGER? Will KICK mark Salman's entry in the 200 cr Club? Let's wait and watch!
