Theatres gear up for big Holi weekend
Premium- Akshay Kumar’s action comedy Bachchhan Paandey is the sole major release in Hindi. For southern audiences, there is James, a Kannada film starring the late Puneeth Rajkumar
New Delhi: With most covid restrictions eased across the country and 100% occupancies allowed in theatres, cinemas are hoping for a big Holi weekend. Akshay Kumar’s action comedy Bachchhan Paandey is the sole major release in Hindi. For southern audiences, there is James, a Kannada film starring the late Puneeth Rajkumar that could draw viewers because of the popular actor’s untimely demise. Hollywood film Ambulance is also releasing Friday.
Akshay Kumar could attract both urban, multiplex as well as small-town audiences, said film trade experts. However, the film is facing stiff competition from sleeper hit The Kashmir Files that 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," Ashish Saksena, chief operating officer, cinemas at ticketing site BookMyShow said.
Kumar has been at the forefront of driving box office revenue for the Holi weekend in the past with his war epic Kesari making lose to Rs. 55 crore over its opening weekend in 2019. In 2017, Karan Johar’s Badrinath Ki Dulhania had made Rs. 41 crore over the festive weekend and Rs. 114 crore in lifetime box office earnings. Kumar has seen a spate of successes lately, his Diwali release Sooryavanshi had crossed the Rs. 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 the 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.
Overall, Holi is lucrative for the film business, especially in tier-two cities and towns where people step out in large numbers, film producer, trade and exhibition 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 SS 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 Rs. 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, and is looking to finish its first week between Rs. 95-100 crore. The film based on the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits during insurgency is spreading like a movement, Chauhan said. “There is too much attention around the film and it has completely captured both theatrical and mind space. 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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