Exactly two months after 83, finally a big Bollywood film is arriving in theatres. Gangubai Kathiawadi has been promoted quite extensively, the pre-release marketing has been good, and the overall release is quite strong as well. Basically, from the awareness perspective, all that was to be done for the film had been done.
Of course, the names involved are quite credible. Sanjay Leela Bhansali is a brand as a director and his name definitely commands a pull. He has delivered some of the biggest superhits and blockbusters over the last decade. On the other hand, Alia Bhatt has been a part of many successful films and this is her first which is strictly solo for her as Dear Zindagi had Shah Rukh Khan in a reasonably lightly role while Raazi had Vicky Kaushal (though not a very big name then) in a substantial part. Here too Ajay Devgn is there but the promotion has called it out that his is more of a cameo than a major role, which is the right kind of communication to make in order to set audience expectations.
Looking at all of this, and of course, the fact that a number of states are still playing at 50% with night curfews, the film should take a decent opening in Rs. 7-8 crores range. Anything more than that would be good and if the film manages a double-digit start then it would be quite impressive.
