Unprecedented advance bookings for the historical epic "Mangal Pandey - The Rising" that released Friday saw exhibitors in this metropolis feeling jubilant once again after collections had sunk following last month's heavy rains.

The film, which is being released with a record number of 400 prints and also across the country, has generated a big pre-release craze with tickets for all theatres and multiplexes sold out for the first four days of the film.

Tickets are going as high as Rs.225 for prime time shows over the weekend in some multiplexes.

"The film is a total sell out at our chain of theatres. We had seen this kind of an unprecedented craze in 'Veer-Zaara', which had swept records at the box-office at the Inox chain of multiplexes," says Arun Sharma of Inox.

"In fact, going by the demand for tickets it won't be surprising if we expect a weekend business of Rs.30 million ($688,000) in four days from six properties of the Inox," he said.

Sharma said Inox has scheduled the film for a record number of shows. "We have scheduled 15 shows of the film at Nariman Point and 13 shows in Pune, which is the largest ever number of shows dedicated to any film."

Like other multiplexes and theatres, the multiplex has also hiked admission rates to Rs.225 for prime time shows.

"It is a joint decision between the distributors, Yash Raj Films, and us, looking at the demand," he said.

According to Sanjay Dalia of the Cinemax chain of theatres they have been having a tough time coping with the demand for tickets ever since they opened the advance booking for the film on Monday.

"We opened the advance booking plans two days earlier than schedule anticipating this kind of a craze but the demand for tickets is extraordinary. It is going to be a terrific opening by all means.

"The last time we had witnessed such a craze for tickets was during 'Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham'. It is heartening to see this kind of demand considering the tough time that exhibitors have been lately going through," Dalia said.

Dalia expects the film to reign at the box-office for at least two weeks. "That's because the next weekend is also a festive season with Raksha Bandhan and the Parsi New Year falling one after the other. We are expecting the theatres to be packed to full capacity in the coming two weeks," he said.

However not all exhibitors are as excited about the opening of the film.

Manoj Desai, of G-7 theatres, feels the response is akin to a very good booking for a big film.

"I don't think it is unprecedented as the others choose to call it. The excitement is all about so many factors working for the film at the same time. The biggest advantage being that it is an Aamir Khan release after almost four years. Besides it is an excellent week for a film's release with three weekend holidays and with the Independence day fervor added. Besides, there is no major release coming up in the next few weeks. There are a few big films lined up but none of them is as big as this one," he said.