Bumper advance booking for HNY

Amid the din of the Diwali festivities, there is one more reason to celebrate with gusto - the release of Farah Khan's Happy New Year, featuring Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, Abhishek Bachchan, Boman Irani, Sonu Soon, Vivaan Shah and Jackie Shroff. Advance booking for the film opened with a bang today and it looks like the movie is gearing up to taking the box office by storm. This production, whose larger-than-life canvas and spectacular marketing plan are the talk of the town, has proved that Khan sure delivers on his promise to entertain his audience. And then some!

The film, which is all set to release on Friday, is not only pegged as the highest first-day grosser of all time but is also expected to be the fastest to make it to the Rs 200-crore club. It is expected to notch up fantastic numbers during its first weekend and first week. Programmers from various multiplex chains and exhibitors too believe that Happy New Year will enjoy a smooth sail next week.

Ashish Saksena, BIG Cinemas

Happy New Year is turning out to be a magnum opus. It will be a sureshot winner at the box office, without a doubt. We have seen a phenomenal response to advance bookings, which opened this morning. At present, ticket sales are more than 70 per cent and this will further grow late evening. On average, we have allotted 14 to 18 shows per property. We have received a fabulous response as bulk bookings have already opened for the weekend.

Amar Laykar, PVR Cinemax

This film will undoubtedly ring in gigantic numbers, if advance booking is any indication. Happy New Year's advance booking is going great guns at our properties. The film, following the Diwali and weekend madness, will definitely set many records for any Hindi film. With 20 shows at each property, on average, we plan to sustain substantial shows for the film in the second week too. The outstanding response to the advance booking suggests that we will sell out our weekend shows today. This film will go down in history in our industry.

Ansh Kapoor, Fun Cinemas

HNY has drawn an outstanding response at the ticket window and is creating a huge buzz as far as advance booking goes. With over 75 per cent advance booking, we predict nothing short of an exceptional weekend. On average, the film has been assigned 10 to 14 shows per property.

Harshad Parmar, Carnival

The film took a fantastic start for its advance booking at our properties, around 80 per cent, and we expect superlative net collections during the weekend. The film is a blockbuster already. With record-breaking day-one collections, the weekend will be nothing short of a celebration as well. On average, the film has 14 shows per property.

Ashish Gogia, Suncity

Advance booking for HNY has elicited a 90-per cent response in most of our properties and the weekend shows are already house full. The weekend will be massive in terms of audience response.

Manoj Desai, G7 and Maratha Mandir

Advance booking for the film opened today amid an extraordinary response. The audience is very eager to watch Shah Rukh Khan and Farah Khan's latest offering and the movie will run house-full at my properties.

Sanjay Ghai, Mukta Movies, Delhi-UP

Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone will set cinema screens ablaze with their chemistry just as they have done before. Sone pe suhaga hoga Farah Khan directing them along with an ensemble cast. There is no doubt the film will exceed collection records by leaps and bounds.

Surender Saluja, Lakshaya Movies, East Punjab

The film is a perfect Diwali gift for the audience as it has action, dance, emotion, romance and comedy all wrapped up with a larger-than-life ribbon. These are the elements that define a Hindi masala entertainer andHappy New Year has all of them. The film will appeal to eight-year-olds as well as 80-year-olds as it is a complete family film. Shah Rukh Khan's films have a certain assurance and film-goers trust that he always serves up something exceptional. Day one's collections will cross Rs 45 crore and the film will not only be the fastest Rs 100-crore movie but the fastest Rs 200-crore film to date as well.

Gaurrav Gaur, O'Real Imagination, Rajasthan

Saying that the film will see massive numbers is an understatement. It is all the rage already. First-day numbers will cross Rs 40 crore all-India and in Rajasthan, it will be close to Rs 2 crore. And every circuit will see new box-office records. The film releases on Friday and since Diwali is in Thursday, everyone will rush in to see the movie

Vasudev Chachan, Sunny Films, Rajasthan

We have already seen a glimpse of what the Shah Rukh Khan-Deepika Padukone jodi can do at the ticket window. Shah Rukh Khan says in the promo, picture toh abhi baaki hai, mere dost'. If the trailer has been such a massive hook, imagine how much business the film will pull in. Day one will be record-breaking and the weekend will be superlative. We can barely wait for Friday.

Debashish Dey, Aum Moviez, West Bengal

People have two festivals this week - Thursday is Diwali and Friday Happy New Year. No other film has generated the kind of anticipation that this film has. Day one will be humongous, above Rs 40 crore, to say the least. This is another glorious feather in Shah Rukh Khan's cap.

Brijesh Tandon, H K Tandon and Company, Delhi-UP

As the film's release approaches, expectations are multiplying. The film has an exceptional buzz, thanks to Shah Rukh Khan and his team. From marketing to music, everything is making the audience more and more eager to watch the film on the big screen. People can't wait to see this magnum opus. The first day, the first weekend and first week will see record-breaking numbers and the film will enter the Rs 200-crore club in no time.