PremiumNEW DELHI : India’s pandemic-ravaged film exhibition business is pinning much hope on SS Rajamouli’s RRR that will finally hit screens after much Covid-induced delay this Friday.
The film that draws significant appeal from Rajamouli’s reputation post Baahubali 2: The Conclusion, the highest grossing film in Indian history, has generated much buzz in both north and south India with Bollywood stars Alia Bhatt and Ajay Devgn acting as the perfect foil to Telugu actors Ram Charan and Jr. NTR.
While the producers have already recovered the Rs. 300 crore budget thanks to distribution, satellite and digital sales touching Rs. 600 crore, it will be a challenge for distributors and exhibitors to make the same back from ticket sales. As per advance sales, a Rs. 100 crore gross is on the cards on day one in Telugu-speaking states but in north India, sleeper hit The Kashmir Files will provide stiff competition. Trade experts now expect a Rs. 20 crore day one for the Hindi version, down from the Rs. 30 crore estimated earlier. The screen count for RRR, estimated at 4,000 across India will also be lower than the 5,000 plus screens Baahubali had managed in 2017, thanks to many theatres still wanting to run The Kashmir Files.
RRR will release in Hindi, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam, apart from Telugu.
“Though originally shot in Telugu, RRR is being seen as a pan-Indian film and its language of production is of no consequence. SS Rajamouli operates in that unique space where his films do well across states and there is phenomenal buzz around RRR given that it is his next post Baahubali," Kamal Gianchandani, chief executive officer, PVR Pictures Ltd said. The film will benefit from easing of Covid curbs and seating capacities reversed to 100% in cinemas, Gianchandani said, aided by the fact that pent-up demand among audiences who have stayed home for long, has already translated into good numbers for some recent titles.
“Films like The Kashmir Files and Gangubai Kathiawadi have already opened up theatrical possibilities across India and we now know people will come to cinemas like they used to, before Covid, as long as the content is good," said Jayantilal Gadda, founder of PEN Studios that is presenting the Hindi version of RRR. That the film is designed for a theatrical experience is evident from the fact that it will only premiere on OTT after a window of 75-90 days, Gadda said.
In Telugu-speaking states which are home territory for Rajamouli, NTR and Ram Charan, trade website Andhra Box Office expects an unprecedented day one for RRR with gross earnings expected to go up to Rs. 110 crore, and early morning shows for Friday priced between Rs. 500-1,000 sold out. Ashish Saksena, chief operating officer at ticketing site BookMyShow agreed advance sales for the film are being led by Telugu-dominated markets in south India which had opened earlier than others nationally. “We expect a strong pick-up in other markets over Thursday and Friday as well. Given that RRR is a standalone release for the week, we believe that it will shore up significant box office collections. Interestingly, tickets for the Hindi version of the film are selling faster than other south Indian languages including Tamil, Malayalam and Kannada. The film has already garnered 1.7 million interests on BookMyShow and sold more than 1.7 million tickets on the platform. Cinephiles across Hyderabad, Ongole, Bengaluru, Chennai amongst others have been the first to get their tickets early on and as we go ahead, we expect significant contribution from tier-two and three cities as well," Saksena said.
Rajendar Singh Jyala, chief programming officer at INOX Leisure Ltd agreed Rajamouli’s clout is driving buzz for the film even in north India, where the presence of Bollywood faces Alia Bhatt and Ajay Devgn will be an added advantage. “The public is hugely excited because of the maker (Rajamouli) and we wouldn’t be surprised if RRR does better than many original Hindi films," Pranav Garg, managing director of Maya Palace, a two-screen cinema in Muzaffarnagar said. The success of Allu Arjun’s Pushpa: The Rise-Part One has most recently demonstrated the powerful of commercial south cinema that provides a complete package of emotions, currently missing in Hindi films, said Garg, who has been receiving queries since January, when RRR was slated to hit screens, before the third Covid wave derailed plans.
However, Vishek Chauhan, an independent exhibitor in Bihar was quick to point out that not only could Baahubali end up as a one-off phenomenon with RRR failing to replicate its success, several single screens are still seeing political drama The Kashmir Files, going strong, reducing showcasing possibilities for RRR. “We can’t abruptly discontinue a film that is running to packed houses. There is no justification for it," said Chauhan who will be dividing shows between RRR and The Kashmir Files and doing away with Akshay Kumar’s Bachchhan Paandey that released for Holi last week and is hardly bringing any footfalls.
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