EXPRESS FEATURES SERVICE
Posted online: Friday , November 16, 2007 at 12:00:00Updated: Thursday , November 15, 2007 at 10:35:37
The Opening
India: Om Shanti Om notched an incredible weekend high of 95-100 per cent all over India. Saawariya, in spite of two newcomer leads managed an impressive opening weekend in Mumbai and some other places, recording 95-100 per cent at multiplexes and at 80-85 per cent small screens.
First Week
Post-Monday, trade analyst Taran Adarsh informs that while OSO continues with 75-85 per cent collections irrespective of its many prints in circulation, Saawariya, partly bogged by unfavourable reviews, has fallen Monday onwards at both single screens and multiplexes. While analyst Amod Mehra terms it Bhansali's weakest film ever, echoes Adarsh, "The film's negative word of mouth has been reflected in its box-office collections with even multiplexes recording a minimal 20-30 per cent collections on weekdays for Saawariya." "OSO is much ahead of Saawariya and has had the biggest opening week this year ahead of all other hits," informs Super Cinema's editor Vikas Mohan, adding that Saawariya has had the weakest opening week vis--vis Bhansali's last three commercial successes HDDCS, Devdas and Black.
Overseas
Debuting at the No. 7 position in its opening weekend in UK, OSO has collected 518,845 (approx. Rs 4.22 crore) from 52 screens recording the second biggest opener ever, after Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna. Saawariya makes it debut at No. 12 collecting 159,210 (approx. Rs 1.29 crore) from 48 screens. In the USA, OSO has got the biggest ever opening for a Hindi film debuting at No. 11 position in its opening weekend collecting $1,764,131 (approx. Rs 6.95 crore) from 114 screens, while Saawariya makes its presence felt at No. 24 collecting $542,192 (approx. Rs. 2.13 crore) from 85 screens. (Source: indiafm.com)
Overall
Trade buzz predicts that if OSO manages to keep its ongoing pace of 40-50 per cent collections on weekdays (Monday to Thursday), it holds ample promise of being a huge all India hit, while Saawariya could well end up a disaster if its current BO performance doesn't improve.
http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Hit-Ya-Superhit/2395 28/
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