Three films get off to dull start at box office

Mumbai, June 28 (IANS) Three films have been released this week, including the Saif Ali Khan-Rani Mukerji starrer 'Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic', but going by initial collections, all of them seem to have got a tepid response at the box office.

The Yash Raj Films-Kunal Kohli production secured a face-saving collection of 70 percent on the opening day from single-screen cinemas in Mumbai, though its collections were a good 20 percent less in multiplexes.

'Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic' revolves around the lives of four children who are forced to live with a man (Saif) they hate. And Rani essays the role of an angel sent to earth to unite the kids with their legally-appointed guardian. The film is conspicuously similar to Hollywood blockbuster 'Mary Poppins'.

Though Kohli has succeeded in making a feel-good movie, it may to appeal to kids more than adults. But children are back in schools after the summer holidays in most parts of the country and therefore the movie may lose a good chunk of its target audience.

In Delhi, most cinema halls - single-screen and multiplexes - said the film was running house-full till Sunday.

Another release of the week, 'Thodi Life Thoda Magic' bears resemblance to Kohli's movie only in the title, but both are poles apart content-wise. The film by director Anand Rai has very little to bring cheer to the audience.

The movie, which stars Jackie Shroff, Arbaaz Khan and Meera Vasudevan, opened with a below 30 percent collection in Mumbai.

Since 'Thodi Life' is a clumsily put together venture, it is bound to perish at the box-office sooner than 'Thoda Pyaar' unless miracles save it from disaster.

The third release of the week, 'Via Darjeeling', opened equally dismally and there is little chance that it will improve its box-office performance in the coming week, at least in Mumbai.

The film has Kay Kay Menon, Sonali Kulkarni, Parvin Dabbas and Vinay Pathak as part of its cast and is basically a suspense thriller.

The dull opening signals another dry week at the box-office.

'None of these three movies were expected to do great business, and knowing their possible prospects at the box-office, the distributors picked these up after hard bargaining. So they are not jolted by their opening collections, barring the case of 'Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic' as its opening was below par,' said trade analyst V. Verma.

Bollywood trade circles are now waiting for next week's two releases - Aamir Khan's production 'Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na' that launches his nephew Imran Khan and Harry Baweja's 'Love Story 2050', the much-hyped debut of his son Harman.