HOUSEFULL 2 - 17 Days 100 Crore \m/ - Page 28

The fiscal starts on a good note with 'Housefull 2' being touted as Akshay Kumar's biggest opening

According to distributors and theatrewallahs, the new financial year has started on a rather good note.

Reason being that they are pleased with the openings Housefull 2 and Titanic 3D have generated over the weekend.

Pegging Housefull 2's first three days-India net collections at Rs 45 crore, Delhi-based distributor Sanjay Ghai says it's a good enough initial for the comedy that has cost about Rs 78 crore to make, including print and advertising.

"After a long time, a complete entertainer has come to the cinemas. And the audience seems to be enjoying the film to the fullest. It's Akshay Kumar's biggest opening so far," he said.

Indore based distributor Aditya Choksi says that the film has registered Akshay's highest numbers in Central India also.

"The occupancy is good even during Monday morning and afternoon shows. The way it is going, it should be Akshay's Rs 100 crore earner," he points out.

Prakhar Joshi, programming head of a national multiplex chain, where the average weekend occupancy was 80 per cent, says.

"An Akshay Kumar film working is good news for us, because otherwise, our balance sheet goes for a toss.

This year, he has a mixed bag in terms of genre and content. So that should improve our profit and loss table," he says.

Besides, the producers are believed to have earned R 28 crore from the satellite rights.

However, veteran trade analyst, Amod Mehra feels there's no hurry to celebrate yet.

"The film has to sustain this week and the second weekend. Because that's as crucial as the first weekend considering the high cost.

That's when we'll know the exact position, after seeing how much the sub-distributors will recover."

The other big success of the weekend is James Cameron's Titanic, converted into 3D by producer Jon Landau.

Ghai tells us that the Hollywood film is running to almost 100 per cent occupancy in Delhi, Punjab and UP.

Joshi adds, "Including the collections from the Hindi dubbed version, Titanic has done over Rs 80 lakh at our multiplex chain across the country."

Courtesy: Mid-Day.com