My Box Office Predictions for Mary Kom

Recall the response to CHAK DE INDIA and BHAAG MILKHA BHAAG (two popular sports films in recent times). Awards, critical acclaim, box office success...these films won it all. Tremendous appreciation was given from all quarters towards these films, and it won't be wrong to say that in recent years, these two films are up there along with other films that carried the best WOM (Word of Mouth) amongst the public.

This Friday, here comes another sports film! CHAK DE INDIA was based on field hockey and BHAAG MILKHA BHAAG was about running, and now MARY KOM will be based on boxing. The film is based on the boxer Mary Kom who is a 5-time World Amateur Boxing Champion and the only woman boxer who won a medal in each of the six world championships... along with other achievements!

MARY KOM's theatrical trailer has gotten a positive response. The positive response to the theatrical trailer and the somewhat grand feel of the film will ensure that the opening day will be better than some other female-oriented films in recent times. Priyanka Chopra also has some star power to pull in the audience. What the film lacks though is a song that can pull the audience to the theatres, and the film also lacks sex appeal, both factors which are important for a woman-oriented film to get a very strong opening. In recent times, RAGINI MMS 2 and HEROINE are examples of films that got a very strong opening day collection, and both films had an audience pulling song (Baby Doll and Halkwat Jawani respectively), and both films also had sex appeal which would pull the audience to the theatres. Even though MARY KOM lacks the two factors, the film can still pull a good opening day number on basis of business in the big centers/multiplexes, where the film can do solid business with growth throughout the day with positive WOM, which I strongly feel MARY KOM will have.

I feel MARY KOM will garner tremendous appreciation, from the public and critics. While the audience in the interiors/smaller centres may not be too gung-ho about the film (they would likely find the film to be boring as it doesn't have typical Bollywood masala for them), the urban audience of the big cities/multiplex audience will love the film. Much like how CHAK DE INDIA and BHAAG MILKHA BHAAG were possibly the most loved films of their respective years (2007 and 2013), MARY KOM will be one of the most appreciated films of 2014, because as I've said, the urban audience will love the film!

To make another comparison, much like how SRK and Farhan Akhtar swept the Best Actor awards for CHAK DE INDIA and BHAAG MILKHA BHAAG respectively, Priyanka Chopra is all set to sweep the Best Actress awards at the majority of award functions! Majority of people will love her performance.

The film itself could also win several awards, and it is very likely to get nominated in the Best Film category at award shows.

The film does have competition though at the ticket window as next week, FINDING FANNY (starring Deepika Padukone and Arjun Kapoor) will release in theatres. FINDING FANNY is also aimed at the multiplex audience, much like MARY KOM. FINDING FANNY has star power and could also be appreciated, which could put a bit of a dent in the lifetime collections of MARY KOM. Having said that, I have no doubt that MARY KOM will be a box office success.

MARY KOM could go on to become the highest grossing female-oriented film ever in Bollywood (not including THE DIRTY PICTURE because that film also had other notable male actors, especially Emraan Hashmi who was a crowd-puller).

My Box Office Predictions for MARY KOM:

Opening Day: 4 crores

Opening Weekend: 18 crores

Lifetime Collections: 60+ crores

Overall Box Office Verdict: Hit

opening 6+ crs