ANIMAL IS THE FIFTH BLOCKBUSTER OF 2023; EXPECTED TO CROSS RS. 500 CRORE MARK
The latest release Animal went beyond expectations. The film was expected to open in the range of Rs. 40 and 45 crores. However, its first day collections were Rs. 52.50 crores, shocking the trade and industry. This is because it is an ‘A’ rated violence with heavy violence. A section of moviegoers was also expected to stay away from the film due to the misogyny factor. Yet, it managed to have such a huge opening and even collected Rs. 56 crores and Rs. 61 crores on Saturday and Sunday respectively. The demand was tremendous and theatres couldn’t accommodate too many shows due to long length and screen sharing with Sam Bahadur. Hence, even the weekdays are strong as those who couldn’t get tickets in the weekend saw it later. The first week collections are expected to be around Rs. 280-290 crores depending on the drop on Thursday.
If Animal is strong on Friday, it has a strong chance of entering the Rs. 500 crore club and even challenging the record-breaking lifetime collections of Pathaan (Rs. 512.76 crores), Gadar 2 (Rs. 515.13 crores) and Jawan (Rs. 555.84 crores). Even if it doesn’t, it is already a blockbuster of 2023 along with the aforementioned films and The Kerala Story.
Sam Bahadur, meanwhile, has also performed beyond expectations despite the documentary-like feel. As predicted in last week’s edition, it opened at Rs. 6 crores and had a healthy first weekend collection of Rs. 25 crores. It benefited from the clash with Animal. Many who didn’t get tickets for Animal preferred to go for Sam Bahadur. It had a drop on Monday, collecting Rs. 3.50 crores. But it remained steady and collected around Rs. 37-38 crores in the first week. If it manages to hold in the second and third weeks, it has a chance of crossing the Rs. 50 crores mark. In terms of budget, it won’t be a feat but in terms of its narrative style and treatment, it’s a big achievement.
Tomorrow will see the release of Manoj Bajpayee-starrer Joram. It got a lot of acclaim at the film festivals but in cinemas, it’ll face an uphill task due to niche appeal and competition from Animal. Zee Studios has wisely given it a very limited release.
Finally, Wonka is the big Hollywood release of the week. It has a chance to excel in certain multiplexes in big cities, especially among kids and families.