De Dana Dan Movie REVIEWS - POST HERE - Page 7

Dhan, dhan, more dhan

December 2, 2009 - 08:29 IST

DE DANA DAN has proved that the junta's verdict is final, it's the ultimate verdict.

Ponder on this. Akshay + Suniel + Paresh + director Priyadarshan. That's the ultimate combo for a laughathon. Naturally, the expectations were bound to be humungous. DE DANA DAN had to perform, especially for Akshay Kumar, whose last few films hadn't lived up to the junta janardhan's expectations.

The opening weekend has been fantastic. According to industry estimates, the film has amassed approx. Rs. 24 crores nett, which easily ranks amongst the highest this year. Monday witnessed a decline in business, especially at plexes, but it held well at single screens of most centres. Also, let's not overlook the fact that DE DANA DAN has had a really wide release. It has opened at 1,334 screens across India, which is a huge number.

A section of the industry was predicting doomsday for the film on Saturday. Then Monday. But the slanderous talk fell flat on their face as the film continued to fetch robust figures.

DE DANA DAN has a big price tag attached to it and with the domestic and international markets yielding good returns, a big chunk of the investment should be recovered. Of course, it also depends on how well it sustains in its second weekend.

A film like DE DANA DAN should also fetch handsome returns from Satellite rights [clean comedies work big time] and also Home Video, which should make it a safe investment.

Smashing debut - By Taran Adarsh, December 2, 2009 - 08:40 IST

DE DANA DAN has found a place in the Top 5 biggest openers of the year in key international markets. The film collected a rich booty in U.K., U.S. and Australia, the key international markets. The combined total from these three markets is approx. Rs. 6.32 crores. The film has fared very well in Gulf too. Weekend: November 27 - 29, 2009. U.K. BOX-OFFICE DE DANA DAN has debuted at No. 9 position. In its opening weekend, the film has collected 3,08,029 [approx. Rs. 2.34 crores] on 48 screens, with the per screen average working out to 6,417. Incl. Thursday previews. PRIYADARSHAN MOVIES IN U.K. KURBAAN [last weekend: No. 11, this weekend: No. 14]: In its second weekend, the film has collected 65,896 on 34 screens, with the per screen average working out to 1,938. Total: 3,09,649 [approx. Rs. 2.35 crores]. AJAB PREM KI GHAZAB KAHANI [last weekend: No. 17, this weekend: No. 22]: In its fourth weekend, the film has collected 16,610 on 12 screens, with the per screen average working out to 1,384. Total: 4,32,174 [approx. Rs. 3.29 crores]. NAAN AVAN ILLAI 2 [Tamil film] has debuted at No. 28 position. In its opening weekend, the film has collected 4,942 [approx. Rs. 3.76 lacs] on 3 screens, with the per screen average working out to 1,647. HEER RANJHA [Punjabi film; last weekend: No. 22, this weekend: No. 40]: In its third weekend, the film has collected 3,827 on 4 screens, with the per screen average working out to 957. Total: 57,244 [approx. Rs. 43.53 lacs]. LONDON DREAMS [last weekend: No. 60, this weekend: No. 49]: In its fifth weekend, the film has collected 1,092 on 1 screen. Total: 2,57,676 [approx. Rs. 1.96 crores]. U.S.A. BOX-OFFICE DE DANA DAN has debuted at No. 20 position. In its opening weekend, the film has collected $ 7,72,377 [approx. Rs. 3.57 crores] on 69 screens, with the per screen average working out to $ 11,194. Thanksgiving Weekend. KURBAAN [last weekend: No. 20, this weekend: No. 31]: In its second weekend, the film has collected $ 1,30,886 on 70 screens, with the per screen average working out to $ 1,870. Total: $ 6,80,326 [approx. Rs. 3.15 crores]. AUSTRALIA BOX-OFFICE DE DANA DAN has debuted at No. 12 position. In its opening weekend, the film has collected Aus. $ 96,597 [approx. Rs. 40.96 lacs] on 14 screens, with the per screen average working out to Aus. $ 6,900. KURBAAN [last weekend: No. 14, this weekend: No. 20]: In its second weekend, the film has collected Aus. $ 32,949 on 12 screens, with the per screen average working out to Aus. $ 2,746. Total: Aus. $ 1,41,364 [approx. Rs. 59.95 lacs].

I am soo happy for DDD me also hope it keeps rocking...

Box Office: DDD fares well, best in the Hindi belt; PAA, RS, 3I; Dubai fallout
While the bulk of the Bollywood media gave more enthusiastic recommendation to Karan Johar's Kurbaan which flopped from start itself, the bulk of the november Indian public actually opted for Priyadarshan's De Dana Dan, which hasn't.

Now De Dana Dan has not had a spectacular weekend in Mumbai but the film has seen big turnouts in the Hindi circuits and Saurashtra. The collections all over Saturday were better than Friday. And Sunday was same or better than saturday.

A fall was witnessed on Monday, followed by a stable Tuesday in single screens, which means the film so far is following a normal pattern of a successful film not of movies like Blue or Chandni Chowk to China which crashed all over after 2 days. The film is strong in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh etc, basically the territories Akshay Kumar hits have done well in the past. However the film is also expensively sold and so needs a bit more time. DDD would have been a much bigger grosser had it released earlier in the year, ahead of comedy hits like Ajab Prem Ki Ghajab Kahani and the Diwali winner hit All the Best.

Releasing on December 4th is the Amitabh-Abhishek Bachchan 15 crore fare PAA. The paid screenings in Bombay Thursday for this film are sold out. For the weekend, the advance booking has opened well in parts of south and Bombay circuit. However it is not on par with Bunty aur Babli and Sarkar I. For the Indian public, it appears it is a wait and see situation on PAA.

While it is clear the box office draw of Bachchans came down over the last 2-3 years, it is also relevant to note here that when in full featured roles, the Amitabh-Abhishek Bachchan 1-2 combo has never resulted in a flop.

Releasing alongside PAA is the Himesh Reshammiya-Shenaz Treasurywala fare Radio. The advance bookings for this film are as expected, poor, though the film's music has been appreciated.

Next friday will have Rocket Singh on December 11, whose promos have failed to generate the buzz that Raj Kumar Santoshi's Ajab Prem Ki Ghajab Kahani managed to, despite featuring the same lead actor (Ranbir Kapoor). While Ajab Prem is a superhit, in fact the top hit of 2009 so far, Rocket Singh is a Yash Raj production, which is coming off its most recent flop Dil Bole Hadippa, in September.

Ending the year of 2009 will be Aamir Khan's 3 Idiots. While the promos have not created a Ghajini type response, Aamir Khan has developed a Tom Hanks-like box office draw over the last few years, combining stardom and acting with quality cinema. Hollywood viewers will recall that in the mid-1990s, Tom Hanks gave a series of blockbusters in America in a similar approach. Hanks, who like Aamir Khan too has been an actor-producer-director, starred in some major box office moneymakers of the era like Forrest Gump.


However broadly speaking, it appears recession in the west has affected box office collections overseas as well as in India this year. If the typical consumer may have gone to movie theater 4 times a year, he may only be attending once or twice. Overseas, the Dubai financial meltdown could further threaten to wipe out the Gulf factor for Bollywood overseas. So far about 70% of overseas market is US/UK. With Gulf making 20%, and rest of the world such as Mauritius and South Africa contributing 10%.

thank u for the article divs keep rocking DDD!