PremiumAkshay Kumar’s action-comedy Bachchhan Paandey is the sole major release in Hindi. There is James, a Kannada film starring the late Puneeth Rajkumar for southern moviegoers that could draw viewers because of the popular actor’s untimely demise. Hollywood film Ambulance is also releasing on Friday
Multiplex operators hope that the long Holi weekend will draw audiences back to theatres, although the pickings are slim for viewers looking for a fun outing.
Akshay Kumar’s action-comedy Bachchhan Paandey is the sole major release in Hindi. There is James, a Kannada film starring the late Puneeth Rajkumar for southern moviegoers that could draw viewers because of the popular actor’s untimely demise. Hollywood film Ambulance is also releasing on Friday.
With state governments lifting most pandemic-related curbs across the country, cinemas are hoping for a big Holi weekend, traditionally a holiday that generates good revenue in north India.
Akshay Kumar’s film could attract urban and small-town audiences, said film trade experts. However, the film faces stiff competition from sleeper hit The Kashmir Files, which is doing especially well in the Hindi heartland.
“Bachchhan Paandey will be an out-and-out mass entertainer, taking groups of families and friends through a roller coaster ride of emotions and laughter. We expect the film to do well across the country, with a higher affinity from the northern regions and a near equal interest from both metros and towns keeping in mind Akshay Kumar’s consecutive successes at the box office," said Ashish Saksena, chief operating officer, cinemas at ticketing site BookMyShow.
Kumar has been at the forefront of driving box office revenue for the Holi weekend in the past, with his war epic Kesari making close to ₹55 crore over its opening weekend in 2019. In 2017, Karan Johar’s Badrinath Ki Dulhania made ₹41 crore over the festive weekend and ₹114 crore in lifetime box office earnings. Kumar has seen a spate of successes lately. His Diwali release, Sooryavanshi, crossed the ₹195-crore mark at the box office and pre-covid releases like Good Newwz, Housefull 4 and Mission Mangal had all set the cash registers ringing.
Challenges for Holi arise from the fact that it is close to the examination period for students in schools and colleges, Saksena said. “Another trend on Holi is that morning shows are usually cancelled at cinemas, unlike other festivals. However, business in the second half of the day is typically phenomenal as families come out in great numbers," Saksena pointed out.
Holi is lucrative for the film business, especially in tier-II cities and towns where people step out in large numbers, film producer and trade expert Girish Johar said. “Over the past seven to eight years, the holiday has brought around 20% jump in business," he added.
In south India, the Holi weekend isn’t big traditionally. This year, the entire focus is on the release of S.S. Rajamouli’s RRR next week, according to independent trade analyst Sreedhar Pillai, which will decide the future of India’s pandemic-ravaged exhibition business. However, media consulting firm Ormax estimates that James, starring late superstar Puneeth Rajkumar, could make ₹15.7 crore in gross box office collections on its first day alone.
Bihar-based independent exhibitor Vishek Chauhan agreed Bachchhan Paandey fits the vibrant, fun vibe of Holi where people want to watch commercial entertainers. But political drama The Kashmir Files has found unexpected acceptance and draw, Chauhan said. “Bachchhan Paandey may bear the brunt of that, and the only way out for it is to be an extraordinary film and have great word-of-mouth going for it," Chauhan said.
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