First weekend performance of latest release

HOPE AND A LITTLE SUGAR saw good reviews but pathetic collections coming it's way at the box office. Though this Mahima Chaudhary starrer doesn't have much to talk about when it comes to box office returns, at least if one looks at an opening day response, it has still managed to garner some good reviews in most newspaper/websites.

Silver lining comes in the form of HOPE AND A LITTLE SUGAR being acclaimed as the best effort ever for both Mahima Chaudhary and Tanuja Chandra. Though the arrival of TASHAN coming Friday doesn't sound like a good idea for the survival of HOPE AND A LITTLE SUGAR in weeks to come, at the least positive reviews should help the film enjoy good home viewing once the DVDs hit the stands.

Last week's movies

U ME AUR HUM couldn't quite capitalize on the positive reviews it garnered. The film picked up over the weekend but the collections didn't escalate to a safe level as the week progressed. With a modest 12 crores coming it's way after the first week, U ME AUR HUM is currently on a shaky ground. A well made film, U ME AUR HUM had maximum moolah coming from Mumbai (3 crores) though Delhi wasn't much encouraging at barely 1 crore.

Though lack of any major release in the week gone by could have proved to be an added advantage for the film, there are three factors which go against it. a) As per word of mouth amongst commoners, the film has been termed as a little too serious for comfort, especially in the second half, b) IPL is eating away all prime time evening and night shows and c) People are saving money for TASHAN.

KRAZZY 4 saw a nosedive after a bumper initial as it started showing cracks the moment weekdays progressed. Though factors 'b' and 'c', as in case of U ME AUR HUM above, have hampered KRAZZY 4's progress as well, close to 16.5 crores coming from the first week means that the film is a safe bet. Released at close to 700 cinemas, KRAZZY 4 too did it's best business in Mumbai (over 3 crores) while Delhi was average at 1.25 crores.

As per the current scenario, neither U ME AUR HUM nor KRAZZY 4 are promising much at the box office and are seemingly fading away though after managing to cover their cost at the least. Both the films should do good at the DVD circuits though with KRAZZY 4 having a definite edge due to it's comic feel.

From the past

SHAURYA couldn't survive in it's second week and completely crashed with close to 80% fall. With merely 35 lakhs coming in spite of very good reviews and positive word of mouth by those who saw it, it was the competition from U ME AUR HUM and KRAZZY 4 which proved to be too big a competition for this film meant for niche audience. At 2 crores, the film is now hardly in the running and gearing up for it's DVD release.

On the other hand KHUDA KAY LIYE did throw in a surprise in spite of zero promotion and sustained itself in the second week purely on the basis if word of mouth. With a select release working in it's favor, this Pakistani film fell by only 30% and garnered another 50 lakhs. With 1 crore milestone being achieved, it is a sign of good things coming from across the boundary in months to come.

After making good moolah in it's opening fortnight due to a big release and in the process exhausting it's audience in the A and B centers, ONE TWO THREE saw a major crash in the third week and fell by 85%. The film could gather only 80 lakhs more but whatever came into it's coffers after the very first week was a bonus. This is why if one looks at the overall 18 crores total for this medium budget film, it looks pretty much impressive. An above average success, ONE TWO THREE has added on to the list of comic hits in last so many months.

Even in it's fourth week, RACE is dealing in crores, as can be witnessed from over 2 crores that the film earned from across the country. Though the fall was quite huge in the case of RACE as well (over 70%), the overall total of 61 crores has ensured that the film gets a big HIT tag for itself. Expect great sales for the film's DVDs as well which would be hitting the stands by April end.

With RACE falling big in the week gone by and JODHAA AKBAR continuing to sustain itself, it would be a photo finish between the two films to win the box office 2008 'race' in the months gone by. The film collected further 21 lakhs and is sitting pretty over 62 crores. Now it would be interesting to see which of the two films outwits each other in weeks to come, though the balance seems to tilting towards JODHAA AKBAR

In the future

Till about 2 weeks back, it seemed that TASHAN would turn out to be THE film which would break the OM SHANTI OM record of 40 crores. After all the film had everything in it's favor - Yash Raj Films banner, Vishal-Shekhar's music and of course a deadly cast comprising of Akshay Kumar, Anil Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor. With nothing but the best expected from this holds-no-bar commercial entertainer, it was pretty much cast on stone that the film would take a bumper initial all over and hence make OM SHANTI OM's 40 crores seem history.

However, since Yash Raj Films has under promoted the film with a purpose in order to let 'audiences explore the film' by themselves, one wonders if the strategy is indeed worth it? TASHAN would indeed take a solid start due to a loyal set of movie buffs which would throng the theaters the moment it hits the screen. Nevertheless, it is slightly doubtful if this itself would be good enough for the film to break the first week opening record!