Drishyam 2 Box Office: Ajay Devgn starrer crosses Rs. 300 cr mark at global box office; collects Rs. 304.85 cr

The Ajay Devgn starrer Drishyam 2 was released a while back, and since then there has been no stopping the film. After opening on a good note, the business of the film, which also stars Akshaye Khanna, Tabu, and Shriya Saran saw immense growth over its opening weekend and first week running. Interestingly, with positive feedback from the audience and critics alike the business of Drishyam 2 saw further growth on its second weekend, despite facing competition from newer releases. If that was not enough, Drishyam 2 has managed to hold steady as the audiences’ first choice in theatres. Now, after its fourth weekend running, Drishyam 2 has managed to cross the Rs. 300 cr mark at the worldwide box office.

Collecting Rs. 253.49 cr gross from the domestic market alone, and a further Rs. 51.36 cr gross from the overseas markets, the total gross collections of Drishyam 2 currently stand at a staggering Rs. 304.85 cr. This massive collections comes as no surprise given that the film not only received positive reviews but also came with a massive following thanks to the previous film in the series.

Currently, Drishyam 2 still run in theatres managing to entice the audience despite the host of new releases that have hit screens. However, with Avatar: The Way of Water releasing this Friday, trade predictions state that the business of Drishyam 2 might finally see a drop in collections.

Drishyam 2 Worldwide Box Office Collections:

India Nett: Rs. 212.93 cr

India Gross: Rs. 253.49 cr

Overseas Gross: Rs. 51.36 cr

Worldwide Gross: Rs. 304.85 cr

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What lies ahead for Ayushmann Khurrana? “We should stop making films for Bandra to Versova audience,” say experts

Last week, Bollywood Hungama tried understanding what is going wrong with Ayushmann Khurrana’s movies by having a detailed conversation with trade experts. For those not in the know, the actor has given four unsuccessful films in a row in a span of a year in the form of – Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui, Anek, Doctor G and, the recent one, An Action Hero. This is in stark contrast to his fate before the COVID-19 pandemic, when he was one of the most bankable stars. We now look at what lies ahead for Ayushmann and what all he needs to do in order to go back to his winning ways at the box office.

Veteran trade analyst Taran Adarsh believes that not just Ayushmann but Bollywood at large should go desi, considering the year we have had. “You need to make movies which are rooted in Indian culture,” he said. This goes for everyone. Why do we talk of RRR, Kantara and KGF? Because these films are rooted in our culture. They had the desi entertainment factor.”

He elaborated, “I am not talking in particular about Ayushmann Khurrana. I feel we are making films targeting the Bandra to Versova audience and losing out on a chunk of the audience. There has to be a desi feel to it and it has to begin with the trailer itself.”

Veteran trade analyst Atul Mohan echoes a similar sentiment. “He (Ayushmann) is very talented, no doubt,” he said. “He has a good loyal fanbase that loves him. Earlier, the media and the audience started saying that he is the Amol Palekar of this generation. This is a compliment. He shouldn’t do too much of experiments. He should do the kind of films people want him to do. He should do what they enjoy him doing, rather than being overambitious and over-experimental. His next few films should be the ones that would entertain the public.”

But trade expert Amod Mehra believes that Ayushmann should consider doing a mix and match of genres. “I am sure if he gets a good commercial director, he will do well,” he said. “But that doesn’t mean that he only has to do commercial cinema. When you are making such choices, the risk is surely high. But at least one can say that he takes the chances. That is commendable, whereas most of the actors want to be in their comfort zone only.”

The experts, however, are unanimous in predicting that Ayushmann will surely bounce back. “Basically, any good actor won’t sit at home,” said Mehra. “He is such a good actor and he is very lovable. He never troubles his directors or makers. That quality will always go along with him.”

Adarsh added, “Yes, I am very confident (that he will bounce back). This is a phase that every actor goes through. Even Amitabh Bachchan went through this phase. The biggest of the superstars go through it; be it Rajesh Khanna, Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan. One hit and you are there.”

Atul Mohan is of the view that the string of unsuccessful movies won’t harm Ayushmann’s career. “When an actor reaches a certain league, he doesn’t get affected by 3-4 flops,” he said. “They just need one hit and they are back in the game. For example, Akshay Kumar has bounced back in the past after having a series of flops; it has happened twice with him.”

The experts believe that it works in Ayushmann’s favour that his next film is Dream Girl 2, which is slated to release on July 7, 2023. The first part was an out-and-out commercial entertainer with lots of humour and a desi feel. The announcement video of Dream Girl 2, which came out some time back, indicated that one can expect the same from the sequel too.

“Dream Girl, of course, has a tremendous recall value. At the same time, it’s very desi. I hope they retain that flavour (in the second part),” said Adarsh.

Mehra’s faith on this film is even more. “I am very confident that it will do well,” he said.

Also Read: An Action Hero director Anirudh Iyer on the film’s failure, “Don’t know what went wrong, I am unable to understand”

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Vivek Oberoi reacts to questions about Aishwarya Rai Bachchan; advices young actors to stay focused

Readers may recall that the early 2000s reports were abuzz with the romantic story of Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Vivek Oberoi. The latter also spoke up against the actress’ ex-boyfriend Salman Khan threatening him which blew up into a massive cold war between Khan and Oberoi. Followed by this, it was being said that the digs and jibes against Khan impacted the career of Oberoi, who experienced a low phase in his career. Now, a happily married man, Vivek has resurrected his career with interesting South films and web-shows in his repertoire.

During an interaction with Bollywood Bubble, when he was asked whether going public with his relationship with his ex-Aishwarya Rai Bachchan had an impact in his career, the actor replied, “Not that I am going to answer this question because it’s done and dusted. But, for any youth, young talented people who are watching today, just remember one thing in life – if you are really focused and committed to your work, and you’re giving it your hundred percent; it happens everywhere, I see it everywhere. My only advice is that see if they can’t attack you on your professionalism, if they can’t attack you on your talent, if they can’t attack you on the work you do. Don’t give them an opportunity to attack you on something else and shift the focus. Don’t do that; that would be a disservice to yourself and to your commitment to your career.”

He went on to open up about the reason he stayed silent about his personal life post the incident. He added, “I realized if you don’t want people talking about your personal life, if you are sensitive to it which most people are, then you shouldn’t be putting it out there as a projection.”

On the work front, Vivek Oberoi was last seen in the role of strong-headed and honest cop in the MX Player show Dharavi Bank.

Also Read: “Vivek Oberoi dives so deep into his roles that you have to hold his hand and stop him”, says Dharavi Bank director Samit Kakkad

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Pathaan ban: Protestors burn Shah Rukh Khan effigies and demand ban of the Deepika Padukone starrer

While the Bollywood community and many fans of Shah Rukh Khan couldn’t stop showering love on his film Pathaan, the film has been facing some issues in certain territories of India. It seems that Indore experienced some disruption as a Right-Wing group has demanded a ban on the release of the film as well as taken an objection to the recently released song ‘Besharam Rang’ that also features popular actress Deepika Padukone in bikinis.

It seems that a group named Veer Shivaji group planned protests on the streets, at a road intersection, in Indore where they burnt effigies of the superstar Shah Rukh Khan. As per reports, the protestors claimed that the song ‘Besharam Rang’ featuring the superstar and leading lady Deepika Padukone has offended the sentiments of the Hindu community. And therefore, they have been demanding the ban on the release of Pathaan, which is expected to be releasing in January next year.

This is probably not the first time when the SRK film has come under the scanner. Earlier this week, after the song released, Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra also expressed his displeasure over the romantic track. He not only took objection to the outfits of Deepika Padukone as well as the song in itself while speaking to the media during an event. He had said, “I feel the title of the song ‘Besharam Rang’ is also objectionable in its sense. The song is made with contaminated mentality, the actor and the actress are clad in green and saffron clothes in an objectionable manner,” he had stated adding that if the makers refused to rectify their mistake, he would have to reconsider releasing the film in MP.

Coming to the movie Pathaan, directed by Siddharth Anand and produced by Yash Raj Films, the film will feature Deepika Padukone as the leading lady of Shah Rukh Khan along with John Abraham as the antagonist. The film will release on January 25, 2023.

Also Read: ‘Besharam Rang’ from Pathaan faces objection from Madhya Pradesh’s Home Minister, threatens to stall the film’s release

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An Action Hero director Anirudh Iyer on the film’s failure, “Don’t know what went wrong, I am unable to understand”

Ayushmann Khurrana-starrer An Action Hero released earlier this month and it couldn’t get going at the box office. This became the fourth unsuccessful film for the actor ever since the theatres re-opened after the COVID-19 pandemic after Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui, Anek and Doctor G.

An Action Hero is the directorial debut for Anirudh Iyer. The filmmaker is confused about film’s result at the ticket window. In an chat with Indian Express, he said, “It is very special, overwhelming. I didn’t expect so much but on the other side, I didn’t expect such bad box office numbers also. It is a bit difficult to process this. I don’t know what to take from it. You have an experience, you make a film, then people point out to you certain things which didn’t work, and you see why that happened. You learn from that and go to the next one, that these are the things that I will or won’t do.”

Elaborating on his dual state of mind, Iyer added, “Here, my problem is that I am not able to find a closure. Everyone who has spoken to me have told me the film is perfect, that there is nothing that they would change in it. The numbers that the film has done, I am not able to understand, find that closure. That’s one mixed feeling I am in right now. How do I make myself better? What do I do to? I don’t know what went wrong, but the reviews have been so wonderful. I am in a limbo; I am too happy but also upset.”

Produced by Aanand L Rai and also starring Jaideep Ahlawat in a pivotal role, An Action Hero is about a Bollywood superstar, played by Ayushmann, who, for a shoot, visits a village in Haryana where he unintentionally kills a guy who happens to be the younger brother of the dangerous municipal councillor (Ahlawat). How he runs away to London and what happens there forms the rest of the story.

Also Read: Gangster character in An Action Hero was originally named Dawood Ibrahim; here’s why his name was changed to Masood Abraham Katkar

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Trade experts predict that Avatar: The Way Of Water will open in the range of Rs. 40-50 crores; can also enter the Rs. 300 crore club

The much-awaited Hollywood film, Avatar: The Way Of Water is all set to release this Friday, December 16. The film has been in the news due to its fast-filling shows all across the world, including India. Bollywood Hungama spoke to trade experts and exhibitors to get a sense of how the film can perform in the theatres in India.

Day 1 prediction
Trade veteran Taran Adarsh said, “The advance booking is very good. There has been a gap between the release of the previous part and Avatar: The Way Of Water. It won’t prove to be a deterrent. It’ll take a fantastic opening. Whether or not it crosses the first-day collections of Avengers: Endgame (2019) is something we’ll know closer to the release. The curiosity is humongous.”

Avengers: Endgame is the biggest Hollywood opener in India, which opened at Rs. 53.10 crores. Though Taran Adarsh is not sure whether Avatar: The Way Of Water can surpass this number, he’s confident that the James Cameron directorial can go past the first-day collections of Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021), the second biggest opener of India, which stand at Rs. 32.67 crores.

Taran Adarsh added, “Spider-Man’s collections will be crossed. That and Avengers belong to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the advantage was that those films came in quick succession. And its characters are also quite well-known. Here, there has been a 13-year gap. So the generation that came, later on, might not know about Avatar’s characters unless they have seen it on digital platforms. However, in the case of Avatar: The Way Of Water, the biggest star of the film is James Cameron who has delivered humongous films. His name itself ensures that you walk into a theatre.”

Vishek Chauhan, owner of Roopbani Cinema in Bihar, is quite gung-ho about the opening of the film. He said, “The opening will be extraordinary. Despite having the highest ATP (Average Ticket Price) in my cinema, the advance sales are super-strong.” The ticket rates in his cinemas are Rs. 240 for normal seats and Rs. 400 for the recliner class.

He revealed, “If I have to compare, this is the fourth-biggest advance in the year in my theatre after KGF – Chapter 2, Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness and Brahmastra. The ticket sales are a little less than Brahmastra.”

Vishek then made a very grand prediction about the first-day numbers, “Avatar: The Way Of Water can open at Rs. 60 to 70 crores. This will easily be a record-opener. What it’ll collect in the North, the collections will be double in the Southern states, proportionately. There’s complete madness down South for this film.” He continued, “If word of mouth is strong, yeh film toh cinema gharon mein aag laga degi! Also, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

Trade analyst Atul Mohan stated, “The advance is decent. The opening will be around the numbers of Spider-Man: No Way Home. Avatar: The Way Of Water has an advantage as it has got more shows and unlike Spider-Man, it won’t have restrictions like 50% occupancy. Also, the high ticket prices will go in its favour.”

He then said, “If the word of mouth is strong, then the collections will multiply manifold. Like if it opens at around Rs. 32 crores on Friday, it can jump to Rs. 40 or Rs. 45 crores on Saturday and Sunday if reports are positive.”

Raj Bansal, the owner of Entertainment Paradise in Jaipur, opined, “The advance is very good. It’ll open in the range of Rs. 38-40 crores.” He explained, “The pricing is sky-high because of the popularity and I guess they want to recover the huge investment that has gone into making this film. Fortunately, for them, all cinemas are available and devoid of any other exciting content. This is the biggest advantage for them.”

Regarding the pre-release sales, he said, “In many cities, there’s hardly any advance. Spot booking will play a crucial part. In major cities, the tickets have been sold. In the rest of the country, it’ll pick up from Thursday and on Friday, on-the-spot bahut tickets bikegi. The film’s reports, I heard, are very positive. This can further help the film.”

In agreement, Taran Adarsh exulted, “As per the reports, the ticket sales are far more in South and urban centres and not so strong in mass centres. But never underestimate spot bookings. It can change the game! Friday, hence, will be the deciding factor. Nevertheless, whatever happens on the release day, the film is definitely a box office bonanza.”

Inflated ticket rates: Boon or bane for the makers?
A section of the audience has complained about the inflated ticket prices. Bollywood Hungama reported last week that it’s cheaper to watch this film in the IMAX version in the USA, the UK and UAE than in India!

When asked about this, Taran Adarsh said, “Well, people are buying the tickets. It means that they want to watch the film as they have confidence in the maker and the product. For a common man, yes, it’s definitely going to pinch. Irrespective of the hue and cry, I don’t think the trend is going to stop. The multiplexes and the studios will continue to inflate ticket prices even in the future for event films.” He also mentioned a reason why people will be ready to shell out money for the film, “It’s a festive period with the holiday season around the corner.”

Atul Mohan gave thumbs down to the decision to go for very high ticket pricing, “When the ticket prices are so high, a section of moviegoers goes on a back foot. They feel, ‘Baad mein dekhte hai film’.” He also said, “If the rates were less, the ticket sales would have been more.”

Vishek Chauhan opined, “The rate should have been a little less. Disney should look into it. I know it’s a very expensive film and will be a treat on the big screen. However, I feel the rates in the smaller towns should be less as more and more people should be encouraged to watch it. That will help build the audience base for this franchise. This is a one-of-its-kind film. Let’s not deprive the weaker section of the experience by hiking the price. We have increased the rates by Rs. 100 and that is too much for an aam aadmi. The per capita income in a state like Bihar is Rs. 50,000 annually. For my district Purnea, it’s Rs. 6000 annually. So the price of 1 ticket is like 4% of their annual income. It’s not justified.”

Along the same lines, Raj Bansal made an important point, “I don’t think it’s justified. This is the reason why advance has not picked up in smaller towns and cities. In metros, people are used to such kind of pricing, especially for Hollywood movies, and hence, the advance there is strong. But in B and C centres like Chandigarh, Jaipur, Indore etc, it’s not very easy to sell tickets at such prices.”

Lifetime predictions?
Lastly, if all goes well and if it withstands competition from Rohit Shetty’s Cirkus, which releases next week, can Avatar: The Way Of Water get an entry into the Rs. 300 crore club? Taran Adarsh doesn’t deny the possibility, “There’s a strong possibility unless Cirkus emerges as a typhoon of sorts at the box office and poses a strong opposition to Avatar: The Way Of Water in mass circuits. Yet, I feel Avatar will find patronage. There’s no stopping this one. My confidence stems from the fact that James Cameron is a genius. His films give a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

Raj Bansal disagreed, “A lifetime of Rs. 300 crores is not possible with such prices. On weekdays, it’ll majorly impact footfalls. Or else, they’ll have to bring their prices down from Monday, which is unlikely.”

Also Read: Box Office: Avatar: The Way Of Water sells over 3 lakh 30 thousand tickets through advance booking

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Anees Bazmee breaks his silence over outstanding payments and Hera Pheri 3; says, “Firoz Nadiadwala owes me money; I hope he clears my payments before Hera Pheri 3”

Blockbuster director Anees Bazmee admits he is rather fed up of all the speculation regarding Hera Pheri 3. “I keep reading all kinds of reports about Akshay Kumar being in and out of the project, about Kartik Aaryan being signed. I also keep reading that I am directing Hera Pheri 3,” says Anees a tad sarcastically.

So, what’s truth? “The truth is I have in principle said yes to Firoz. But since I am not writing Hera Pheri 3—the producer Firoz Nadiadwala has an idea for the script and he will get someone to work on it—I can only come on board officially after I read the script.”

Anees, who has over the years spun such success stories on celluloid as No Entry, Welcome, and Singh Is Kiing and of course Bhool Bhulaiya 2, admits the script is king. “For me the writing part of a film is the most important. If that works, everything else falls in place. If the script does not work, nothing else does. This is why I am saying I will take a final call on Hera Pheri 3 only after the script is ready.”

Also, there is the issue of Anees Bazmee’s pending payment. Producer Firoz Nadiadwala allegedly hasn’t paid Anees fully for Welcome Back, the film that Anees directed for Firoz in 2015. Anees admits, “It is true that I have not been paid fully for Welcome Back. Quite a bit of the payment is pending. But one has to move on. Of course, if I agree to direct Hera Pheri 3 for Firoz Bhai I will have to be more cautious about the payment. I am hopeful he will clear my earlier payments before Hera Pheri 3.”

Also Read: Anees Bazmee says, “Hera Pheri 3 producers haven’t told me whether Kartik Aaryan or Akshay Kumar will star in the film”

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