VEER gets 'WEAK' opening...Shahid's 'CPD' sunk

Many times what is billed as most-anticipated in trade and media circles does not turn out to be the case with the Indian public at the ground level. More proof of that comes this week as Veer which was billed as one of the most highly anticipated films of 2010 in trade and media circles just days ago has failed to take even a respectable initial. The anticipation was more in the media than amongst the public as Veer's opening seems to be around 20-25%.

By missing the opening, Veer, written by Salman Khan himself, and billed as the actor's attempt at transforming himself into an epic action hero like Brad Pitt and Mel Gibson has likely missed the boat at the actual box office of India. The advance booking and opening reports of Veer are extremely poor in multiplexes and below average in single screens so far (even UP/MP where its not dismal is below expectation given film's budget and genre). So the combined opening is set to range from below average to dismal. Bombay multiplexes have been given high volume allocations in expectation of a huge response, but initial results show they are booked at a rate of around only 15%, on par with Mr. and Mrs. Khanna. In Calcutta the bookings are outright dismal, to the tune of 5%. Some theaters have a booking of 33 for Friday for this Salman Khan starrer, not 33% but 33 tickets total for the day! It is looking above for help unless the opening weekend word of mouth proves much better than what the box office bookings so far have indicated.

Beyond comparisions from Mel Gibson and Hollywood, for some subcontinental reference, in the 1980s released an Amitabh Bachchan starrer called 'Mard' in late 1985, which was set along similar lines and themes as Veer, in the fictional backdrop of a remote kingdom in the British era India with a native hero 'tangewala' who doesn't know he's the prince of the kingdom and whose father had been enslaved by the British. That Bachchan blockbuster, immortalized by Bachchan's horse 'Baadal' and the famous callsigns like 'Peeth Pe Maara Hai Seene Pe Khaoge' and 'Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota' stormed the box office of 1985 shattering Ram Teri Ganga Maili's (a mega hit that year) opening collections and making Golden Jubilee over India. Bombay box office could have used some of that dynamism this week. But Veer has opened nothing like Mard.

Salman Khan tallied at #8/#9 in the past decade's box office rankings (click here). In the new decade it is unlikely he'll go higher if the start is to be with results like Veer.

Moving on, 25 years after Mard in 1985, Amitabh Bachchan will be seen as a media chief for Ram Gopal Varma's RANN, which is releasing next Friday on Jan 29th. Rann being a media film is not the kind that typically moves box office meters (ex. Shah Rukh Khan's Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani in 2000 and Bachchan's own Javed Akhtar scripted Main Azaad Hoon in 1989) and media figures are not typically considered heroism-worthy for the public. However box office has proven unpredictable before and presence of Amitabh under direction of Ram Gopal Varma will give it a boost. The month of January has gotten off to a poor start with Shahid Kapoor starrer Chance Pe Dance, Shahrukh Khan-Sushmita Sen-Fardeen Khan starrer Dulha Mil Gaya, Uday Chopra-Priyanka Chopra starrer Pyaa Impossible, and now Veer all set to be dropping one after the other.

Also releasing along with Rann on the 29th will be Arshad Warsi-Vidya Balan starrer Ishqiyan. This film set in the intrigue of Eastern UP will be Vidya Balan's first release of the year after her hit performance in Paa.

Going back to last week, Shahid Kapoor starrer Chance Pe Dance recorded poor shares its first week netting under Rs. 10 crores. The film is 2nd flop in row for Shahid Kapoor after Dil Bole Hadippa, showing how difficult it is to put together box office hit streaks.

In other news, tentative release dates for two major releases of the year: Akshay Kumar's Housefull is set for an April 2010, and the Abhishek Bachchan-Aishwarya Rai starrer Raavan by Mani Ratnam is set for a June 2010 release.

The box office surprise between now till June may come from unexpected corners, such as the Ajay Devgan-Paresh Rawal comedy: Athithi Tum Kab Jaoge? (Dear Guest, When Will You leave?) which is releasing on Feb 26th.