Padmaavat' Reaches for Third Spot at Weekend Global Box Office

Proving that controversy sells tickets, Indian film, "Padmaavat ranked as probably the number three film globally over the past weekend.

With grosses not yet available from Pakistan, or the Middle East region, it emerges that "Padmaavat grossed $30.5 million in four days, from Thursday to Sunday. That includes $22.8 million from India, where distributors in four states chose not to release the film for fear of mob violence.

In India it opened across 4,000 screens on Jan. 25 and benefited from the long Republic Day weekend. It was made on a $30 million budget, backed by Viacom18, and counts Paramount as a distributor in some territories.

Distributed in the U.S. by Viva Entertainment "Padmaavat opened on 324 screens and bowed at number 11, with $4.1 million over the weekend proper and $4.7 million over four days. In Australia, the film grossed $1.4 million, and $307,000 in New Zealand. It collected $1.2 million in the U.K.

Global film rankings from international tracking service ComScore show "Maze Runner: The Death Cure as the weekend winner with a worldwide $86.1 million, followed by "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle second with $34.1 million. ComScore, however, does not provide global coverage for every film released and excluded "Padmaavat outside North America. Had it been included, the Indian epic would have jostled with "The Greatest Showman ($19.6 million in three days,) another Indian title "Secret Superstar ($19 million in three days, largely from China,) and Steven Spielberg's "The Post for a leading chart position.

"Padmaavat, starring marquee names Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapoor, is about the machinations of a Muslim invader to win a Hindu queen who is married to a king of the Rajput warrior class. It was dogged by controversy from the time it began shooting, with Rajput fringe groups alleging that there was a romantic dream sequence between the Muslim ruler and the Hindu queen, and that history had been distorted.

India's Central Board of Film Certification and the Supreme Court approved the film fit for release, but pre-release protests turned violent. In one incident anti-"Padmaavat protesters pelted a school bus with stones. The protest groups had not seen the film.

Upon release, it became clear to the protesters and the audience alike that the film glorifies the Rajput community, rather than vilifying it, and the protests died away quickly. The film now has nearly two weeks to enjoy its momentum, before the next major release "Padman on Feb. 9.