If one thought that Avatar: The Way of Water was going to be only a Day One phenomenon then that's not quite the case. While it did take a blockbuster opening on Friday with collections in excess of Rs. 41 crores, what happened on Saturday was phenomenal as well, what with Rs. 43 crores* coming in. Now that's simply fantastic because for a film to have two back to back blockbuster days sets it up pretty well for a mighty Sunday ahead. So far, the Hollywood biggie which has collected Rs. 84 crores* already and a weekend of over Rs. 125 crores is on the cards.
For those who have been wondering right through 2022 that high priced tickets are deterrent to audiences venturing out of their home, this James Cameron directed sci-fi is an answer. Simply put, if there is a truly big screen entertainer designed and there is good credibility attached to it then audiences will indeed come. Of course, one can't expect an event movie to arrive every month but even with one such biggie arriving every four weeks and bringing on the entertainment quotient, there is good hope.
As for the non-event films, it's all about how good a movie is because when that happens then audiences will step in, regardless of whether it has a truly big screen canvas or not. Drishyam 2 is a live example of that which doesn't boast of VFX, 3D, massive sets, set piece songs, or all the props which usually go with a big screen entertainer. What it has is a big star [Ajay Devgn] featuring in a big story that has been told with aplomb by an eager director. As a result, even fifth Saturday was huge with Rs. 2.02 crores which has pushed the total to Rs. 218.79 crores.
*Estimates. Final numbers awaited
Note: All collections as per production and distribution sources
