First weekend performance of latest release

'Rang De Basanti' being postponed proved to be a spanner in the plans of many upcoming release. The result was not a single release on 20th January.

Last week's movies

'Family' has turned out to be one of the biggest disasters of Raj Kumar Santoshi, Amitabh Bachchan and Keshu. If the pre-release hype was nothing great to write home about, poor opening didn't help the cause either. Any indications of movie picking up over the weekend were doused by the fact that word of mouth was poor. Result? The movie has sunk all over and is soon going to be extinct from the screens in maximum couple of week’s time. The movie just managed to cross 1 crore in Mumbai while in Delhi it was a supreme failure with less than 50 lakhs in it's kitty. Everyone associated with the movie has accepted the cruel fate and no one is even trying to come forward to the movie's defense.

In comparison 'Zinda' too didn't have quite a rosy picture. The reviews were mostly great and those who watched it also found it to be truly 'different' and appealing, but the overall result was something different. Claims of the movie being the 'first HIT of 2006' are unfounded with collections being at most in the range of average to below average. The movie was being touted as an ideal 'fit' for multiplex audience but both Mumbai and Delhi [where maximum multiplex screens reside], the collections were only a little better than 'Family'. Majority of sections in media were unified in their stand for 'Zinda' and though direction, performances and execution were all of superior quality, this 'experimental' flick will have to settle down as an average earner at maximum.

From the past

'Serial kisser' Emraan Hashmi's smooches didn't salvage any hopes of 'Jawani Diwani' doing well as the movie tanked completely in its 2nd week. Collections from most centers across the country were barely in thousands barring a few major cities where they crossed 1 lakh. With the movie's fate sealed, its time for Hashmi to look forward to his upcoming release 'Aksar' that is carrying terrific reports. '15 Park Avenue' too managed to stretch in the second week and just like the opening week it is doing excellent business primarily in Kolkata. But from rest of the country, the movie is phasing out.

'Shikhar' can easily be counted amongst the Top-3 biggest disasters of 2005 with a near to negligible presence in its 3rd week. There were a hardly a few prints in circulation and they too have vanished as the movie enters its 4th week. There have just been a few lakhs added to its final total of around 8 crores. Same holds good for 'Dosti' that is out of reckoning after its 4th week. There are hardly any collections to write home about and if Akshay Kumar's pull at the box office wouldn't have got it a good opening, it would have been an uphill task for the movie to have managed to even break even. With 'Dosti' hardly been a bumper success that producer-director Suneel Darshan may have expected from it, it's time he rethinks on his choice of subjects and delivers something new. VLHTA is out of screens as well and may result in some cash-flow by means of sales from original DVDs/VCDs that are out on stores.

'Bluffmaster' had a fairly good run so far and now on its way to make space for other films to make a mark. The collections did take a fall in the 5th week and with an exception of Mumbai, there are hardly any other cities that are recording great box office response. Original DVDs/VCDs of both 'Kalyug' and 'Apaharan' are out on stands while the two flicks end their run after a very successful run.

In the future

Biggest movie of January, Rang De Basanti, releases this week. It would be an understatement to say that there is immense hype around the movie due to Aamir Khan's presence and the numerous controversies that provided it million dollars worth free publicity. The movie is being released at more than 12 shows per multiplex [something similar as in the case of 'Mangal Pandey'] and that should be reason enough for it to sail through. A typical multiplex fare, it is expected to open huge and bring smiles back on the faces of distributors and exhibitors who have suffered a dry January so far.