Box-office can be most unpredictable and that's the beauty of this business…
Let's have a look at the biggest openers this year. First BEWAFAA, then LUCKY - NO TIME FOR LOVE, followed by KAAL and thereafter BUNTY AUR BABLI. The record start of these four films at every nook and corner of the country clearly indicated that the moviegoer hasn't lost faith in the magnetic pull of the big screen.
It also proves that no matter how exorbitant ticket rates may be, if the moviegoer feels excited about a film, there's no stopping that film from fetching a tremendous start at the ticket window. It also proves that aggressive marketing, coupled with the attractive look of the film, could work wonders in its opening weekend. Of course, after a record start, it has to rely on a strong word of mouth to sustain for the next four days.
Now add DUS to this impressive list! The thriller opened to an earth-shattering initial all over India, fetching the best opening the year has witnessed so far. And with the producers/distributors giving it a wide release, the opening weekend collections were stupendous.
What actually contributed to the mind-boggling start of DUS at the turnstiles? Four factors, I'd say:
- The striking face-value/star cast. The project looks real big.
- The popularity of 'Dus Bahane' and 'Deedaar De' had soared in recent times.
- The stylish stunts. The action promos attracted lovers of action flicks in hordes.
- The chic promos and the aggressive marketing prior to its release.
DUS was the most talked-about film prior to its release and everyone was confident that it would fetch a fabulous start. But none imagined the start to be so huge, so dynamic!
The opening weekend of the film was superb everywhere. Mumbai, Delhi, Punjab, Rajasthan, Bihar, South… The sole factor that went against the film was the fact that it's low on substance. The aam junta wasn't happy with the post-interval portions and the climax in particular.
Monday onwards, expectedly, the collections of DUS started sliding at many places. At several places, the drop was quite substantial. Yet, thanks to an amazing start, the distributors should recover the investment.
On the other hand, FAREB, starring the two Shetty sisters with Manoj Bajpai, got 'swallowed' by a super-strong opposition [DUS]. FAREB isn't a bad film, it's not great cinema either, but the DUS wave was so strong, so omnipotent that FAREB couldn't survive the storm.
The much-talked-about MATRUBHOOMI also went completely unnoticed, getting knocked down by the opposition.
