My Box Office Predictions for PK

Such was the power of 3 IDIOTS!

Aamir Khan. Rajkumar Hirani. PK. Can it get any bigger?

Aamir Khan returns on screen after giving one of the biggest Blockbusters of Hindi cinema, a film that currently holds the record for being the biggest grosser ever: DHOOM 3. Also, Aamir Khan hasn't delivered a Flop films at the box office since 2000 with MELA (some may debate MANGAL PANDEY was a Flop, but there have been sources who have said that the film is not a Flop as it had an extra-ordinary initial opening).

Rajkumar Hirani returns as a director after MUNNA BHAI MBBS (a film that is regarded as a cult classic amongst many), LAGE RAHO MUNNA BHAI (a Blockbuster, was only the second film at the time to do 70+ crore business after GADAR!) and 3 IDIOTS, which is simply one of the biggest Blockbusters ever of Hindi cinema.

Sanjay Dutt, who starred in the hugely popular MUNNA BHAI films directed by Rajkumar Hirani, will be be doing a film with Aamir Khan for the first time. This is an important pairing because both actors have been in Rajkumar Hirani directed films, but they haven't been in the same film together until now!

There is also Anushka Sharma, who has managed to get noticed with audience since her debut Blockbuster film RAB NE BANA DI JODI followed by Hits like BAND BAAJA BAARAT and JAB TAK HAI JAAN. Sushant Singh Rajput is also coming now after two box office successes in the form of KAI PO CHE and SHUDD DESI ROMANCE.

The very first thing that caught the attention of the public was the poster of PK, where Aamir Khan was nude. This created a very mixed response, with many question why a star the calibre of Aamir would need to resort to something cheap like this? But as they say, controversy creates cash. Whether it was good feedback or bad, the poster definitely got the film noticed! Also, it is not as if Aamir must have gone nude for publicity. There is said to be a reasoning behind it in a scene(s) of the film.

Then came the theatrical trailer of the film, which was appreciated by many. The songs of the film may not have clicked too well with the public, but Rajkumar Hirani is a director who doesn't need chartbuster songs to make his film really successful. 3 IDIOTS didn't exactly have a chartbusting music album. Even Aamir Khan's big Blockbuster DHOOM 3 didn't have a chartbusting music album.

PK will take a huge opening, no doubt about it. BOI has talked about how the film could get a bumper opening at major city multiplexes because of the film being the reunion of Aamir Khan and Rajkumar Hirani after 3 IDIOTS. They have also talked about how the film could set a opening weekend record at multiplexes.

What my opinion about the opening of PK is that yes, I do agree with BOI that the Aamir Khan-Rajkumar Hirani reunion will bring in huge numbers at big cities of India and at multiplexes (especially as multiplexes like content-based films more). I have also heard that there has been buzz for the film in smaller centres due to Aamir's Bhojpuri accent and in Rajasthan for the film's Rajasthani flavour. Having said that, I feel that the film lacks three huge factors that contribute to bringing the masses in huge numbers for a film's opening: action, chartbuster songs, and a grand scale. A film may not need all three things, but at least one of those elements should be present to get a huge opening at mass centres, and those elements are not there in the film.

Also, something very interesting I have noticed is that every film that has had a 20+ crore opening till date had some action in the film (usually visible from a film's trailer itself). The highest opener till date that had no action was Ranbir Kapoor's YEH JAWAANI HAI DEEWANI (19 crores). Of course though, PK will get a 20+ crore opening for many reasons that make this film anticipated (including Aamir's star power), but it could be hard to get that 30+ crore opening day. DHOOM 3 did it last year, but that film had all those elements like huge scale, action, etc, and it also had Katrina Kaif. Anushka Sharma is not as popular as a superstar like Katrina Kaif, so that would also contribute to the opening of PK being lower than DHOOM 3.

WOM (Word of Mouth) should be a different story altogether! 3 IDIOTS was perhaps the last film to get an excellent WOM universally in India. There have been many Blockbuster films in recent years, but most of these major box office successes have had a WOM that just ranged from Mixed-Good. DHOOM 3, KRRISH 3, HAPPY NEW YEAR, BODYGUARD, EK THA TIGER...these are examples of films that were very successful at the box office but the WOM range was Mixed to Good. However, with PK, I think all that will change! Every Rajkumar Hirani directed film so far has received fantastic appreciation from the audience, and I feel this will continue with PK.

Rajkumar Hirani seems to have made a universally-appealing film with PK, a film that seems to hold appeal for both the classes and masses. The classes would love the film (there will likely be a solid story, strong performances, etc that would get the film to be appreciated by the classes) and the masses would enjoy Aamir Khan. His paan-eating, Bhojpuri accent, naughty avatar (he is seen peeing on walls, stealing clothes from a car where a couple is sharing intimate moments, etc) will keep the masses entertained. The Bhojpuri accent shouldn't be a distraction for the audience as Aamir himself said, who has made an accent work with the audience before in RANGEELA. Also, there are those who have doubts about how well the film can be received with Aamir Khan doing an alien role, but remember in KOI MIL GAYA there was the alien Jadoo who was appreciated by the audience.

Those associated with the film (including those who they are related to) have all been strongly praising the film. Aamir Khan has said that this is toughest role till now. Of course, what those associated with the film believe and what the public believes could be two entirely different things, but I think the response amongst the public will be the same as that of those associated with the film. Basically, in my opinion, the WOM of PK will be excellent in India. A section of the trade may feel (moreso on Friday morning) that the opening of PK is below the mark, but when the tremendous WOM starts spreading, the film will show rapid increase in it's collections from the opening day itself. There seems to be a story of God related to the film (the "Bhagwaan kaha hain tu" song gives some indication of that as do some promos) and in recent times another film about God (OMG starring Paresh Rawal) also received tremendous appreciation from many. PK is reminding me (through its promos) of films such as 3 IDIOTS, LAGE RAHO MUNNA BHAI, OMG, and all of those films received fantastic appreciation from the public which makes me feel even more that PK will have a tremendous WOM. Rajkumar Hirani has said that you will laugh and shed tears in the film, and after delivering such films in the past where he done that, there is no reason to not believe him!

Kids, families, masses, classes...I believe the film will have universally strong appreciation from the public in India! The film will show amazing trending at the box office and the holidays (such as Christmas and New Year's day) will give the film's box office collections even more of a boost!

My Box Office Predictions for PK:

Opening Day: 29 crores net

Opening Weekend: 90+ crores net

Lifetime Collections: 300 crores net (PK will become the biggest grosser of all time)

Overall Box Office Verdict: All Time Blockbuster

There have been films in the recent past that the trade and some fans of stars (before the release of the film) have hyped as being possibly being the first film to enter the 300 crore club. DHOOM 3, KICK, and HAPPY NEW YEAR are examples of that where people in the trade and some fans thought they would enter the 300 crore club. However, if I remember correctly, this is how I had it in my mind even before the release of DHOOM 3: I recall thinking that DHOOM 3 would do about 250 crores (with a WOM not as good as 3 Idiots) but then PK directed by Rajkumar Hirani would get excellent WOM and would do 300 crores. I have felt in my mind for a long time that PK will be the first film to enter the 300 crore club. I did get some vibes about films like DHOOM 3 and HAPPY NEW YEAR entering the 300 crore club at some point but PK was the main film I had in my mind as the first entrant of the 300 crore club. After all, when Rajkumar Hirani and Aamir Khan's 3 IDIOTS could do 202 crores in 2009, then PK has all the chances to do 300 crores lifetime collections in 2014!

I was quite accurate with lifetime collection prediction of DHOOM 3 (250+ crores was my prediction), and I hope I am correct again because I truly believe that PK will be the first film to 300 crores net lifetime collections in India!

This will be Aamir Khan's fourth time now during the Christmas period where he will be giving the biggest grosser of all time in India: GHAJINI, 3 IDIOTS, DHOOM 3, and now PK!

By the way, did anyone else notice the small similarities PK has with DHOOM 3? Aamir taking his shirt off in the Nunga Punga song and the characteristics of his character are similar to his Samar character of Dhoom 3. Also, Aamir and Anushka dancing on stage in one song also reminds me of Aamir and Katrina dancing on stage in Dhoom 3. Interesting similarities!

Definitely! It could be one of the highest grossing Bollywood films ever Overseas!

I thought I will give you some interesting trivia ...I am from Delhi and we friends have done bulk booking ( abt 40 tickets ) as want to see it together ...its likea big event here . We blocked the bookings this week but the day we got was tuesday next week !

This is with so many shows running ...but were told we were too late to get 40 seats together for the weekend 😃

The excitement to see the movie is tremendous ...everyone based on their budgets is very eager to see the movie . Thejunior staff At my place cannot watch it at the first week multiplex rates ...so they have decided to wait for a week and watch it on a weekday when the rates are lower ...they have already taken an off for the same.

PK to me is not a movie to be judged on opening day collections , first week etc ...one has to see how it fares in the second week and the tremendous repeat value it has .