The much awaited masala entertainer, Bachchhan Paandey starring Akshay Kumar and Kriti Sanon in lead has taken an average opening with estimates falling in the range of Rs. 11.75 to 13.00 crores. The movie was expected to open better, but the biz has been majorly dented due to the competition from The Kashmir Files and below the mark promotional campaign.
The opening in morning shows was pretty ordinary, however, the business picked up from the noon shows onwards due to strong walk-ins. Morning shows suggested a single digit start, however, the spot bookings were strong and this is a positive sign for a film like Bachchhan Paandey as the same suggests interest in the audience. The opening benefited due to the Holi holiday, and with audience talk tilted slightly towards the positive side, Bachchhan Paandey is expected to witness an upward trend in business over the weekend.
Gujarat and Maharashtra were the best faring circuits for the Farhad Samji directorial and the mass belts like U.P and Bihar also started coming into action towards the evening shows. Bachchhan Paandey needs a global share of Rs. 65 to 67 crore to break even and hence, there is a long journey ahead for the film to be in the black for makers.
The opening of Bachchhan Paandey would have been better by at-least 25 percent if not for the competition from The Kashmir Files and this film has come as a huge competition to this masala entertainer. Nonetheless, the makers still managed to get respectable screen count and showcasing with enough capacity to do business and emerge a successful bet. Akshay Kumar's goodwill in the market also helped the producers fetch good showcasing in cinema halls all across despite the competition.
It's all wait and watch for now and the upward trend in weekend followed by hold on Monday will give us a clear picture on where the film is headed.
