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Tag: Neerja

  • Films are at the mercy of the director, says ‘Neerja’ writer

    Films are at the mercy of the director, says ‘Neerja’ writer

    MUMBAI: Neerja writer Sanyuktha Chawla Shaikh in conversation with the audiences at The Content Hub 2020 shared some interesting insights from her movie. “All stories come from life experiences. My film Bobby Jasoos was inspired by the family I am married into. The only part is to make it fictional. The major challenge I faced in Neerja was to bring the spirit into a character. Shabana Azmi's character was completely inspired by Neerja's mother. The structuring of this movie was very different,” says Shaikh.

    Shaikh, who never aspired to be a scriptwriter, has given audiences some wonderful movies like Bobby Jasoos and Neerja. She feels digital writing is liberating; you can get into things that are interesting. She, however, found writing dialogues for Delhi Crime very weird as one cannot write dialogues based on real testimonies.

    Shaikh also believes that scripts should be read by the director, writer and the actors. It helps in better functionality. Asked about having the ownership while working with a director, she said, “Films are at the director’s mercy; he has the complete ownership and cast and crew need to have a trust upon him. If you disagree with a certain plot, there is always an option to narrate your story to some other director.”

  • Sequels & the need to cash in on previous successes

    The film industry is going through its worst period in a long time. Nothing seems to be working as film after films flop losing almost total investments. This, when private investors are staging a comeback to invest in film distribution business as the big houses have curtailed their activities.

    While the producers of recent films have been suffering, the main sufferers are the single screens as well as the multiplex chains who, besides servicing their investments, also need to tend to their fixed costs like, staff, power, maintenance and other such costs.

    This is a Catch 22 situation. While the independent producers, who are keeping the supply going, they have to do it in limited budgets. The multiplex chains won’t give them decent playtime or reduced admission rates and the paying audience won’t be lured otherwise.

    The stalemate continues.

    The recent trend seems to be of making wome- oriented films. That is fine. They do work at times as was the case with, Kahaani, Dirty Picture, Neerja, Chalk & Duster, Ki And Ka, Fitoor, Sarabjit, Begum Jaan, Maatr, Noor and so on. But, just a few worked.

    If Kahaani worked, why did Kahaani 2 did not? It did not because it came across as a product of greed. A need to cash in on the success of its predecessors. The makers did not even care that their ‘Dare It All’ protagonist of Kahaani was turned in to a helpless, hapless woman in Kahaani 2.

    Both new releases of the week, Noor and Maatr, were women centric films. Both faced disastrous outcome at the box office.

    Noor was much hyped as the Pakistani journalist writer Saba Imtiaz’s account of her life as a journalist in Karachi, among the most violent cities in the world. It was published as a book, Karachi, You Are Killing Me! The account had no story, looked like a dramatised and fictionalised writing. Nothing in the book seemed fit to incorporate it in the life of a Mumbai journalist.

    Maatr was a vehicle for one time sought-after star, Raveena Tandon, as a senior actor to return in her veteran avatar as a mother. She played a mother on revenge mission for her raped and killed young daughter. The film failed to get an opening of any kind.

    *Raveena’s comeback, Maatr, sadly, could not find enough footfalls to run a show. Turned into a ‘No audience No show’ affair as the collections remained in lakhs. The film’s promotion was poor too. The three day collections remained short of one crore at about Rs 70 lakh.

    *Sonakshi Sinha, essaying the role of a struggling journalist, lacked head or tail. Is a loser on all counts as the film barely manages to put together Rs 4.1 crore crore for the first weekend.

    *Begum Jaan, an outdated story told poorly, fails badly to incite the audience. After a poor opening weekend of Rs 10.6 crore, the film ends it first week with a total of Rs 15.1 crore.

    *Badrinath KI Dulhania has taken its six week total to Rs 114.7 crore.

    *Laali KI Shaadi Mein Laaddoo Deewana, Blue Mountain, Mirza Juuliet and Mukti Bhawan are also ran.

  • CNN-News18 brings ‘The Bollywood Roundtables’ fifth edition with Rajeev Masand

    CNN-News18 brings ‘The Bollywood Roundtables’ fifth edition with Rajeev Masand

    MUMBAI: CNN-News18 is coming up with the fifth edition of its special talk show The Bollywood Roundtables. Hosted by entertainment editor Rajeev Masand, the show is a year-end omnibus on Bollywood and features India’s most celebrated and finest directors, actors and actresses who are behind the most talked about films and performances of the year.

    The show will air from 17 December every Saturday at 6 pm and Sunday at 8 pm till 1 January. It features candid, free-wheeling and eye opening conversations with guests discussing their inspiration, influences and challenges they face.

    The first episode will see Sonam Kapoor (Neerja), Alia Bhatt (Udta Punjab), Radhika Apte (Phobia & Parched), Anushka Sharma (Sultan & Ae Dil Hai Mushkil) and Vidya Balan (Kahaani 2) open up about their process. Amitabh Bachchan (Pink), Ranbir Kapoor (Ae Dil Hai Mushkil), Sushant Singh Rajput (MS Dhoni: The Untold Story), Shahid Kapoor and Diljit Dosanjh (Udta Punjab) will discuss their craft in the second episode.

    The Directors Roundtable will feature Karan Johar (Ae Dil Hai Mushkil), Ali Abbas Zafar (Sultan), Ram Madhvani (Neerja), Shakun Batra (Kapoor & Sons), Abhishek Chaubey (Udta Punjab) and Nitesh Tiwari (Dangal) discussing their work.

  • CNN-News18 brings ‘The Bollywood Roundtables’ fifth edition with Rajeev Masand

    CNN-News18 brings ‘The Bollywood Roundtables’ fifth edition with Rajeev Masand

    MUMBAI: CNN-News18 is coming up with the fifth edition of its special talk show The Bollywood Roundtables. Hosted by entertainment editor Rajeev Masand, the show is a year-end omnibus on Bollywood and features India’s most celebrated and finest directors, actors and actresses who are behind the most talked about films and performances of the year.

    The show will air from 17 December every Saturday at 6 pm and Sunday at 8 pm till 1 January. It features candid, free-wheeling and eye opening conversations with guests discussing their inspiration, influences and challenges they face.

    The first episode will see Sonam Kapoor (Neerja), Alia Bhatt (Udta Punjab), Radhika Apte (Phobia & Parched), Anushka Sharma (Sultan & Ae Dil Hai Mushkil) and Vidya Balan (Kahaani 2) open up about their process. Amitabh Bachchan (Pink), Ranbir Kapoor (Ae Dil Hai Mushkil), Sushant Singh Rajput (MS Dhoni: The Untold Story), Shahid Kapoor and Diljit Dosanjh (Udta Punjab) will discuss their craft in the second episode.

    The Directors Roundtable will feature Karan Johar (Ae Dil Hai Mushkil), Ali Abbas Zafar (Sultan), Ram Madhvani (Neerja), Shakun Batra (Kapoor & Sons), Abhishek Chaubey (Udta Punjab) and Nitesh Tiwari (Dangal) discussing their work.

  • FY-2016: Inox PAT almost quadruples

    FY-2016: Inox PAT almost quadruples

    BENGALURU: Inox Leisure Limited (Inox) reported almost quadrupling (3.87 times) of profit after tax (PAT) for the year ended 31 March 2016 (FY-2016, current year). The company reported PAT of Rs 77.49 crore (5.8 per cent margin on total income from operations or TIO) in the current year as compared to the Rs 20.04 crore (2 per cent margin on TIO) in the previous year.

    Note: The unit of currency in this report is the Indian rupee – Rs (also conventionally represented by INR). The Indian numbering system or the Vedic numbering system has been used to denote money values. The basic conversion to the international norm would be:

    (a) 100,00,000 = 100 lakh = 10,000,000 = 10 million = 1 crore.

    (b) 10,000 lakh = 100 crore = 1 arab = 1 billion.

    PAT for the quarter ended 31 March 2016 (Q4-2016, current quarter) was 16.12 crore (5.6 per cent margin on TIO). During the corresponding quarter of the previous year, the company had reported a loss of Rs 4.06 crore, while PAT in the immediate trailing quarter was 3.3 per cent lower at Rs 15.60 crore (4.6 per cent margin on TIO).

    TIO for the current year was 31.1 per cent higher at Rs 1,332.69 crore as compared to the Rs 1,016.81 crore in the previous year. TIO in Q4-2016 grew 31.8 per cent YoY to Rs 286.92 crore from Rs 217.75 crore, but declined 16 per cent quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) from Rs 341.71 crore.

    Company speak

    Commenting on the results, Inox Group of companies director and group head (Corporate Finance) Deepak Asher, said, “Good content coupled with our expansion across the country, with a world class movie viewing experience has helped us in maintaining our growth in the last quarter. We will continue this growth momentum with our consistent efforts in the forthcoming quarters for our guests and all the stakeholders”.

    Gross Box Office (GBOC)

    During FY-2016, as well as Q4-2016, the increase in TIO was driven by increase in Gross Box Office collection (GBOC) in the sale of food and beverages (F&B).

    Inox reported GBOC of Rs 904.94 crore for the current year, 34.4 per cent higher as compared to Rs 673.08 crore in the previous year. GBOC in Q4-2016 increased 41.7 per cent YoY to Rs 191 crore as compared to Rs 134.80 crore, but declined 17.2 per cent QoQ from Rs 230.69 crore.

    Performance of the top five movies by GBOC performance accounted for 42 percent of total GBOC collection in the current quarter. The top five movies in terms of GBO collection for Q4-2016 in descending order were: Airlift (Rs 29.8 crore GBOC or Gross Box Office Collection, 15 lakh footfalls); Neerja (Rs 17.3 crore GBOC, 10.5 lakh footfalls); Kapoor&Sons (Rs 15.7 crore GBOC, 8.5 lakh footfalls) Bajirao Mastani (Rs 9.8 crore, 5.6 lakh footfalls); and Wazir (9.2 crore GBOC, 5.1 lakh footfalls).

    Advertising, food and beverages and other operating revenues

    F&B sales in FY-2016 were Rs 265.63 crore, 39.1 per cent higher as compared to Rs 191.03 crore in FY-2015. This segment reported 52.3 per cent higher YoY sales at Rs 56.99 crore in Q4-2016 as compared to Rs 34.73 crores, but 13 per cent lower QoQ as compared to Rs 65.51 crore in the immediate trailing quarter.

    F&B spend per head in FY-2016 increased to Rs 58 from Rs 55 in FY-2016. In Q4-2016, F&B spend per head increased to Rs 58 from Rs 53 in Q4-2015.

    Revenue from advertising in FY-2016 increased 11.7 per cent to Rs 91.01 crore as compared to Rs 81.49 crore in FY-2015. In Q4-2016, advertising revenue declined 2 per cent to Rs 19.40 crore from Rs 19.79 crore in Q4-2015, and declined 34.2 per cent QoQ from Rs 29.49 crore.

    Other operating revenue in FY-2016 declined 0.2 per cent YoY to Rs 71.10 crore from Rs 71.21 crore. Other operating revenue declined 24.1 percent YoY in Q4-2016 to Rs 19.52 crore from Rs 25.73 crore, but increased 21.8 per cent QoQ from Rs 16.02 crore in Q3-2016.

    Footfalls, occupancy rates and average ticket price

    Footfalls for FY-2016 increased 30 per cent to 534 lakh from 411 lakh in FY-2015. Inox reported a 36 percent increase in footfalls in the current quarter at 115 lakh as compared to 84 lakh in Q4-2015, but a 10.9 per cent decline QoQ from 129 lakh in Q3-2016.

    Occupancy rate in the current year increased to 29 per cent from 25 per cent in FY-2015. Occupancy rate in Q4-2016 improved to 23 per cent from 20 per cent in Q4-2015, but was less than the 31 percent in Q3-2016.

    Average Ticket Price (APT) increased 3.7 per cent in FY-2016 to Rs 170 from Rs 164 in the previous year. ATP increased 5.7 per cent YoY to Rs 167 in the current quarter as compared to Rs 158, but declined 6.7 per cent QoQ from Rs 179.

    Entertainment Tax, Distributors share and F&B costs, rents, etc.

    Inox paid 43.1 per cent higher Entertainment Tax in FY-2016 at Rs 173.81 crore as compared to Rs 121.45 crore in the previous year. Entertainment Tax in Q4-2016 at Rs 35.61 crore was 56.5 per cent higher YoY than Rs 22.76 crore but was 19.8 percent lower QoQ entertainment tax as compared to Rs 44.40 crore.

    Distributors share (Exhibition cost) in FY-2016 was 30.5 per cent higher at Rs 325.30 crore as compared to Rs 249.32 crore in FY-2015. Distributors share in Q4-2016 at Rs 68.94 crore was 44.4 per cent higher YoY as compared to Rs 47.75 crore but was 18.5 per cent lower QoQ as compared to Rs 84.54 crore in Q3-2016.

    F&B costs in the current year were 34 per cent higher at Rs 66.41 crore as compared to Rs 49.55 crore in the previous year. F&B costs in Q4-2016 increased 37 percent YoY to Rs 14.18 crore as compared to Rs 10.35 crore, but declined 11.1 per cent QoQ from Rs 15.95 crore.

    Total Expense in the current year increased 26.1 per cent to Rs 1,223.06 crore from Rs 969.88 crore in FY-2015. Total Expense in the current quarter increased 29.8 percent YoY to Rs 292.59 crore from Rs 225.34 crore but declined 5.3 per cent QoQ from Rs 308.97 crore 

  • FY-2016: Inox PAT almost quadruples

    FY-2016: Inox PAT almost quadruples

    BENGALURU: Inox Leisure Limited (Inox) reported almost quadrupling (3.87 times) of profit after tax (PAT) for the year ended 31 March 2016 (FY-2016, current year). The company reported PAT of Rs 77.49 crore (5.8 per cent margin on total income from operations or TIO) in the current year as compared to the Rs 20.04 crore (2 per cent margin on TIO) in the previous year.

    Note: The unit of currency in this report is the Indian rupee – Rs (also conventionally represented by INR). The Indian numbering system or the Vedic numbering system has been used to denote money values. The basic conversion to the international norm would be:

    (a) 100,00,000 = 100 lakh = 10,000,000 = 10 million = 1 crore.

    (b) 10,000 lakh = 100 crore = 1 arab = 1 billion.

    PAT for the quarter ended 31 March 2016 (Q4-2016, current quarter) was 16.12 crore (5.6 per cent margin on TIO). During the corresponding quarter of the previous year, the company had reported a loss of Rs 4.06 crore, while PAT in the immediate trailing quarter was 3.3 per cent lower at Rs 15.60 crore (4.6 per cent margin on TIO).

    TIO for the current year was 31.1 per cent higher at Rs 1,332.69 crore as compared to the Rs 1,016.81 crore in the previous year. TIO in Q4-2016 grew 31.8 per cent YoY to Rs 286.92 crore from Rs 217.75 crore, but declined 16 per cent quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) from Rs 341.71 crore.

    Company speak

    Commenting on the results, Inox Group of companies director and group head (Corporate Finance) Deepak Asher, said, “Good content coupled with our expansion across the country, with a world class movie viewing experience has helped us in maintaining our growth in the last quarter. We will continue this growth momentum with our consistent efforts in the forthcoming quarters for our guests and all the stakeholders”.

    Gross Box Office (GBOC)

    During FY-2016, as well as Q4-2016, the increase in TIO was driven by increase in Gross Box Office collection (GBOC) in the sale of food and beverages (F&B).

    Inox reported GBOC of Rs 904.94 crore for the current year, 34.4 per cent higher as compared to Rs 673.08 crore in the previous year. GBOC in Q4-2016 increased 41.7 per cent YoY to Rs 191 crore as compared to Rs 134.80 crore, but declined 17.2 per cent QoQ from Rs 230.69 crore.

    Performance of the top five movies by GBOC performance accounted for 42 percent of total GBOC collection in the current quarter. The top five movies in terms of GBO collection for Q4-2016 in descending order were: Airlift (Rs 29.8 crore GBOC or Gross Box Office Collection, 15 lakh footfalls); Neerja (Rs 17.3 crore GBOC, 10.5 lakh footfalls); Kapoor&Sons (Rs 15.7 crore GBOC, 8.5 lakh footfalls) Bajirao Mastani (Rs 9.8 crore, 5.6 lakh footfalls); and Wazir (9.2 crore GBOC, 5.1 lakh footfalls).

    Advertising, food and beverages and other operating revenues

    F&B sales in FY-2016 were Rs 265.63 crore, 39.1 per cent higher as compared to Rs 191.03 crore in FY-2015. This segment reported 52.3 per cent higher YoY sales at Rs 56.99 crore in Q4-2016 as compared to Rs 34.73 crores, but 13 per cent lower QoQ as compared to Rs 65.51 crore in the immediate trailing quarter.

    F&B spend per head in FY-2016 increased to Rs 58 from Rs 55 in FY-2016. In Q4-2016, F&B spend per head increased to Rs 58 from Rs 53 in Q4-2015.

    Revenue from advertising in FY-2016 increased 11.7 per cent to Rs 91.01 crore as compared to Rs 81.49 crore in FY-2015. In Q4-2016, advertising revenue declined 2 per cent to Rs 19.40 crore from Rs 19.79 crore in Q4-2015, and declined 34.2 per cent QoQ from Rs 29.49 crore.

    Other operating revenue in FY-2016 declined 0.2 per cent YoY to Rs 71.10 crore from Rs 71.21 crore. Other operating revenue declined 24.1 percent YoY in Q4-2016 to Rs 19.52 crore from Rs 25.73 crore, but increased 21.8 per cent QoQ from Rs 16.02 crore in Q3-2016.

    Footfalls, occupancy rates and average ticket price

    Footfalls for FY-2016 increased 30 per cent to 534 lakh from 411 lakh in FY-2015. Inox reported a 36 percent increase in footfalls in the current quarter at 115 lakh as compared to 84 lakh in Q4-2015, but a 10.9 per cent decline QoQ from 129 lakh in Q3-2016.

    Occupancy rate in the current year increased to 29 per cent from 25 per cent in FY-2015. Occupancy rate in Q4-2016 improved to 23 per cent from 20 per cent in Q4-2015, but was less than the 31 percent in Q3-2016.

    Average Ticket Price (APT) increased 3.7 per cent in FY-2016 to Rs 170 from Rs 164 in the previous year. ATP increased 5.7 per cent YoY to Rs 167 in the current quarter as compared to Rs 158, but declined 6.7 per cent QoQ from Rs 179.

    Entertainment Tax, Distributors share and F&B costs, rents, etc.

    Inox paid 43.1 per cent higher Entertainment Tax in FY-2016 at Rs 173.81 crore as compared to Rs 121.45 crore in the previous year. Entertainment Tax in Q4-2016 at Rs 35.61 crore was 56.5 per cent higher YoY than Rs 22.76 crore but was 19.8 percent lower QoQ entertainment tax as compared to Rs 44.40 crore.

    Distributors share (Exhibition cost) in FY-2016 was 30.5 per cent higher at Rs 325.30 crore as compared to Rs 249.32 crore in FY-2015. Distributors share in Q4-2016 at Rs 68.94 crore was 44.4 per cent higher YoY as compared to Rs 47.75 crore but was 18.5 per cent lower QoQ as compared to Rs 84.54 crore in Q3-2016.

    F&B costs in the current year were 34 per cent higher at Rs 66.41 crore as compared to Rs 49.55 crore in the previous year. F&B costs in Q4-2016 increased 37 percent YoY to Rs 14.18 crore as compared to Rs 10.35 crore, but declined 11.1 per cent QoQ from Rs 15.95 crore.

    Total Expense in the current year increased 26.1 per cent to Rs 1,223.06 crore from Rs 969.88 crore in FY-2015. Total Expense in the current quarter increased 29.8 percent YoY to Rs 292.59 crore from Rs 225.34 crore but declined 5.3 per cent QoQ from Rs 308.97 crore 

  • Kapoor & Sons has steady opening, Neerja continues to bring in money in 4th week

    Kapoor & Sons has steady opening, Neerja continues to bring in money in 4th week

    MUMBAI: Kapoor & Sons, which opened to a weak response, maintained steady collections on Saturday despite the India Pakistan T20 match. Having found appreciation with a certain section of the audience, the film took a huge leap in collections on Sunday of little less than double its Friday figures.

    Having collected Rs 24.3 crore for its opening weekend, the film is expected to continue to do well at select outlets as there are no other films in contention till Thursday, March 24, Holi day evening, when Rocky Handsome is slated for release.

    Global Baba fared poorly, failing to even make it to the Rs 10 lakh mark in its first week

    Teraa Surroor has had it tough at the box office. With a below average opening weekend, the film managed to collect just Rs 10.7 crore in its first week.

    Jai Gangaajal managed to collect Rs 7.1 crore in its second week to take its two week tally to Rs 30.9 crore.
    Aligarh collected a symbolic Rs 15 lakh in its third week to take its collections to Rs 2.5 crore.

    Neerja continued its stronghold on the box office. The film has added Rs 5.1 crore in its fourth week to take its four week total to Rs 68.9 crore.

     

  • Kapoor & Sons has steady opening, Neerja continues to bring in money in 4th week

    Kapoor & Sons has steady opening, Neerja continues to bring in money in 4th week

    MUMBAI: Kapoor & Sons, which opened to a weak response, maintained steady collections on Saturday despite the India Pakistan T20 match. Having found appreciation with a certain section of the audience, the film took a huge leap in collections on Sunday of little less than double its Friday figures.

    Having collected Rs 24.3 crore for its opening weekend, the film is expected to continue to do well at select outlets as there are no other films in contention till Thursday, March 24, Holi day evening, when Rocky Handsome is slated for release.

    Global Baba fared poorly, failing to even make it to the Rs 10 lakh mark in its first week

    Teraa Surroor has had it tough at the box office. With a below average opening weekend, the film managed to collect just Rs 10.7 crore in its first week.

    Jai Gangaajal managed to collect Rs 7.1 crore in its second week to take its two week tally to Rs 30.9 crore.
    Aligarh collected a symbolic Rs 15 lakh in its third week to take its collections to Rs 2.5 crore.

    Neerja continued its stronghold on the box office. The film has added Rs 5.1 crore in its fourth week to take its four week total to Rs 68.9 crore.

     

  • Box Office: Gangaajal disappoints, Neerja holds ground in second week

    Box Office: Gangaajal disappoints, Neerja holds ground in second week

    MUMBAI: Prakash Jha trying to cash in on his 2003 film Gangaajal comes a cropper. The film relates in no way to the earlier film, nor does it refer to any jal in its tedious 148 minute narration. Using the face and popularity of Priyanka Chopra as a front, surprisingly, producer-director Prakash Jhahas launched himself as an actor at a rather late stage of his life. So much so that Priyanka is relegated to play second fiddle to Jha’s character. Jha also does not care too much for known faces of the supporting cast, mainly the villains, in his outdated local bahubalistory of Bihar. 

    Expectantly, the film opened to a poor response and unfavourable word of mouth kept its collections restricted on Saturday and Sunday with little improvement. Despite facing no major film in opposition, Gangaajalended its opening weekend collecting a mere Rs15.5 crore.

    Zubaan, another release of the week, just passed unnoticed.

    Aligarhfellprey to its negative theme which amounts to torture at the multiplex admission rates. Acceptance of a film by the audience depends solely on the identification the audience finds with the story. In the case of Aligarh, there is none. The film collected just Rs 2.1 crore for its first week.

    Tere Bin Laden: Dead Or Alive is still born. A total let down compared to its first version, the film managed just Rs2.85 crore in its first week.

    Bollywood Diarieswas poor at just about Rs40 lakh in its first week. 

    Neerja held its ground in its second week. Entertainment Tax exemption in various states along with total positive word of mouth has helped. It is rare for such a heroine oriented biopic to collect about 67 per cent of its opening week figures. The film has added a handsome Rs 20.85 crore in its second week thus taking its two week total to Rs 55.05 crore. This recovery from just the film’s domestic theatrical market is remarkable considering its all-inclusive cost of Rs 21 crore. 

    Sanam Re collected Rs 20 lakh in its third week to take its three week total to Rs28.3 crore.

    Airlift added Rs35 lakh in its fourth week to take its total to Rs 126.05 crore.

  • Box Office: Gangaajal disappoints, Neerja holds ground in second week

    Box Office: Gangaajal disappoints, Neerja holds ground in second week

    MUMBAI: Prakash Jha trying to cash in on his 2003 film Gangaajal comes a cropper. The film relates in no way to the earlier film, nor does it refer to any jal in its tedious 148 minute narration. Using the face and popularity of Priyanka Chopra as a front, surprisingly, producer-director Prakash Jhahas launched himself as an actor at a rather late stage of his life. So much so that Priyanka is relegated to play second fiddle to Jha’s character. Jha also does not care too much for known faces of the supporting cast, mainly the villains, in his outdated local bahubalistory of Bihar. 

    Expectantly, the film opened to a poor response and unfavourable word of mouth kept its collections restricted on Saturday and Sunday with little improvement. Despite facing no major film in opposition, Gangaajalended its opening weekend collecting a mere Rs15.5 crore.

    Zubaan, another release of the week, just passed unnoticed.

    Aligarhfellprey to its negative theme which amounts to torture at the multiplex admission rates. Acceptance of a film by the audience depends solely on the identification the audience finds with the story. In the case of Aligarh, there is none. The film collected just Rs 2.1 crore for its first week.

    Tere Bin Laden: Dead Or Alive is still born. A total let down compared to its first version, the film managed just Rs2.85 crore in its first week.

    Bollywood Diarieswas poor at just about Rs40 lakh in its first week. 

    Neerja held its ground in its second week. Entertainment Tax exemption in various states along with total positive word of mouth has helped. It is rare for such a heroine oriented biopic to collect about 67 per cent of its opening week figures. The film has added a handsome Rs 20.85 crore in its second week thus taking its two week total to Rs 55.05 crore. This recovery from just the film’s domestic theatrical market is remarkable considering its all-inclusive cost of Rs 21 crore. 

    Sanam Re collected Rs 20 lakh in its third week to take its three week total to Rs28.3 crore.

    Airlift added Rs35 lakh in its fourth week to take its total to Rs 126.05 crore.