New Delhi: This weekend is truly a bonanza for movie buffs with Gadar 2, OMG 2 and Jailer out in theatres. It could result in one of the biggest Fridays for the Indian box office, say trade pundits.
Trade experts believe the Sunny Deol, Ameesha Patel-starrer ‘Gadar Ek Prem Katha’ will earn anything between Rs 25-35 crore on the first day itself. The film is likely to cross Rs 100 crore over the first weekend.
“I am very happy with the advance bookings of Gadar 2 in the north and Jailer in the south. These two films have given a boost to the exhibition sector. As a fellow fraternity member, I am very happy that combining all four films releasing this Friday (Gadar, OMG 2 and Gadar 2, Bhola Shankar and Jailer), I expect ₹75 crore on Friday. That’s a big number post-COVID. It will be a good upstart for the industry,” producer and film business expert Girish Johar was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.
Anil Sharma’s, Gadar 2 has already sold nearly 3 lakh tickets in advance booking. Exhibitor Akshaye Rathi is sure that the film will make more than Rs 30 crore on day one. “Looking at the advance bookings, the opening of Gadar 2 can be conveniently put at anything above ₹30 crore. If it has the kind of traction we are expecting, Gadar 2 will possibly be the highest grosser for Sunny Deol in decades. Let us hope the movie brings in that euphoria and experience for the audience.”
Girish was quoted as saying “Gadar, too, has a lot riding on it. The makers have gone all out in promoting the film and they have a more than 4000-screens wide release. The advance bookings are also phenomenal. With the humongous craze around the comeback film of Sunny Deol, everyone is very excited.” He added that the advance booking in metros, as well as tier two and tier three cities, show that the film is set for a great start on Friday. “I would be happy if the if the box office for Gadar 2 opens anywhere above 25 crores to start with.”
However, Girish added that Gadar 2 is a non-holiday release. “We need to keep in mind that it is not a holiday. Friday is a regular working day. We have an extended weekend with Independence Day on Tuesday, so we that can help later. So if the film is it meets expectations it can go to higher numbers.”
“If Gadar 2 meets all the expectations and people really like it, it has all the possibilities of crossing Rs 75 to 100 crore in the first three days itself. And obviously, anything lower would still be happy provided it takes a Rs 25 crore start.
HT quoted trade analysts as saying that OMG 2 has a very different kind of audience, and the film has also had little promotions (owing to censor troubles, and OMG2 being a smaller film). Girish Johar put the opening day figure for OMG 2 at anything between Rs 5 crore-10 crore. He also said that it would be a great feat if OMG2 makes a double-digit opening collection in India. Akshaye added, “It is a scenario with two films where they do not cannibalise each other but they compliment each other.”
