WILL MOVIEGOERS HOP ON THE MADGAON EXPRESS?
The performance of the last Friday’s releases was a mixed bag. Yodha put up disappointing numbers, despite the makers providing a buy-one-get-one-ticket-free scheme on Saturday and Sunday. The first-week collections will be around Rs. 22-23 crores and the film hopefully would cross the Rs. 30 crore mark. Bastar – The Naxal Story, on the other hand, is a washout. The last film of this team, The Kerala Story, collected Rs. 6.75 crores on Day 1. Bastar – The Naxal Story, in its lifetime, will struggle to cross 50% of the first-day collections of The Kerala Story and that says it all. However, Kung Fu Panda 4, as predicted last week, collected Rs. 2.50 crores, which is more than the day 1 collection of Kung Fu Panda 3 (Rs. 2.10 crores). The first week collections are expected to be around Rs. 16 crores and it’s bound to have a long run in cinemas. The collections can cross the Rs. 30 crore mark or even the Rs. 35 crore mark.
This week, two diverse films will try their luck in cinemas. The biggest one is Madgaon Express. It marks the directorial debut of Kunal Kemmu and stars Pratik Gandhi, Divyenndu, Avinash Tiwary and Nora Fatehi. The comic caper’s trailer has been well-received and it promises to be a crazy, youthful entertainer. However, the film looks more of an urban flick and not a mass comedy like Dhamaal, Dhol etc. The songs also haven’t worked. The opening, hence, will be in the range of Rs. 1.50-2 crores. On the first day, viewers can get one ticket free on every ticket and this might boost the earnings. A good word of mouth can help the film earn well. The Holi holiday on Monday, March 25, will also benefit.
Swatantrya Veer Savarkar, meanwhile, will have paid previews from tonight, Thursday, March 21 and a full-fledged release from tomorrow. It is directed by Randeep Hooda and also features him in the role of the freedom fighter. The film got into controversy last year when Mahesh Manjrekar revealed that he was supposed to direct the film and he left the project due to interference by Randeep. The producers also got into a tiff with the actor. The issue was then resolved. Meanwhile, Veer Savarkar is a controversial figure and as a result, the trailer has received polarized reactions.
Swatantrya Veer Savarkar’s buzz is limited but it won’t have Bastar – The Naxal Story’s Rs. 35 lakhs type disaster collections on day 1. The number will be slightly more as a section of the audience will be curious to see the film. This target audience’s response is important if the film needs to have a good run in cinemas.
Swatantrya Veer Savarkar will also be released in Marathi.