Bachchhan Pandey To Find It Tough Going
Thursday 17 March 2022 13.00 ISTBox Office India Trade Network
Bachchhan Pandey had a lot going for it if we go back a week or so as it had a good trailer for some mass markets and some decent tunes and a big star like Akshay Kumar but that has all gone out of the window due to what is happening at the ground level with The Kashmir Files. No doubt it will be tough going for Bachchhan Pandey
Bachchhan Pandey should have been postponed on Monday as the collections of The Kashmir Files came on Monday morning but it was probably too late for the makers to postpone so close to release. The Kashmir Files did not become a historic BLOCKBSUTER on the weekend but on Monday morning (read here) and what that meant was that it was going to go up and up and not the other way.
So in this case The Kashmir Files becomes a speeding roadrunner and you dont come in front of such a road runner but let it pass. In business terms you let the wave subside if you want the best for your film. There have been such waves before but it was in the single screen era when the fight was not about the first or second week audience but the audience for months and months. Here if the first weekend does not perform there is no coming back especially for a big film.
The problem for Bachchhan Pandey is that The Kashmir Files wave is growing and not subsiding and it will not be letting go of any theatres with crowds swelling each day. Where the business of The Kashmir Files is going to go this weekend is anybody's guess but one thing is sure it is going to be very high. The advances in the North are like 10 times higher for The Kashmir Files.
The problem for Bachchhan Pandey is that The Kashmir Files is going to dominate the market on Friday as its an established BLOCKBUSTER (historic) and its not a Bahubali or Tiger Zinda Hai which has done max business in week one, the max is yet to come which will probably be this week and Bachchhan Pandey is the release this week to face that onslaught.
You have the growth scenario which is always there but eventually Bachchhan Pandey is a mass film releasing on Holi which is a holiday so a big upturn is a huge ask. The probelm is further compounded that RRR releases next week and unless you can match occupancy of The Kashmir Files you will have to give way to RRR while The Kashmir Files retains its theatres.
The euphoria around The Kashmir Files has meant a slow advance for Bachchhan Pandey and its gone pretty much unnoticed and is probably looking at an advance of 2.50 crore nett by end of business of on Thursday while advances of The Kashmir Files is unbelievable. Bachchhan Pandey will need a miracle to survive but a miracle happened last week so you never know.
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