Box Office India Trade Network
CHHAAVA collected 28 crore nett on its first day with generally good collections all over and outstanding in Mumbai circuit with CP Berar and Nizam/Andhra also being excellent. The weaker areas, which were going to be North India and East India, also eventually collected well enough though its a hugely lopsided performance with Western India being very strong.
The collections in Mumbai circuit will be in the 15 crore nett range which is up there among the top five. But comparisons are futile here as the bulk bookings the film has seen are mainly concentrated in this circuit. Take this out its still a huge number in the circuit but just not this high. The other circuits which don’t have centres from Maharashtra don’t have the same push from bookings. Basically, the number is extraordinary but the collections are also excellent is probably the best way to put it.
It actually becomes very difficult to report a film like this which has done well and should do well in the long and on top is the first bright spot for some time as far as the Hindi film industry goes. But the problem is the number is pushed and then another film may get 27 crore nett without bookings and then what do you say as it would be the second best opening of the year.
The industry is going through a phase that there is caveat with the box office number week in week out due to these bookings and may well get even worse. The positive for CHHAAVA is that the real number is also good and its not a sequel so that is also a positive. The main character is front footed and aggressive which brings an audience in though being an historical means a limit on cinematic liberties. It is these characters in a fiction film that the industry needs to present well for potential of the huge blockbuster across all circuits.
The numbers of CHHAAVA will be tentative as it will be up and down due to what is happening and its not normal ratios and trends may not also be normal but by the end of the week, it will all clear up.
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CHHAAVA showed strong growth on Saturday as the film jumped 20% from Friday and collected 34 crore nett which gives the film a two day total of 63 crore nett. This growth has come post Valentines Day which is a great sign for the film though the push on Valentines Day may not have been that huge due to the genre.
The trend of the film is far superior than the other films out there as they probably got more benefit on Valnetimes Day. The film continues to huge business in Mumbai, CP Berar and Nizam/Andhra. The latter is not just strong in the Marathwada area but in Nizam as well. The film has seen a good pick up in the North and certain centres in UP, which don’t normally grow on Saturday, went up. Still, the overall collections of the film are lower in the North and East but the trend is good which is important for the long run as these areas have to hold for a big number at the end.
There may be certain clouds over the film but its pretty clear the film is a HIT and and the weekdays will tell if its going to be even bigger and the signs look very good as there is a holiday on Wednesday which ensures a huge total at the end of the week. There is an open run for the film which gives it possibilities for a huge sustained run but that will be known on Thursday and second Friday. By then, it will be known exactly where the film stands and certain external elements around the film will clear up.
The biggest plus from the film is that finally the industry may have found the third star this century and nothing can be bigger for the industry than this especially the state the industry is in today as its the need of the hour. In the last 25 years, there has been only Hrithik Roshan and Ranbir Kapoor who can be called genuine stars which is a poor return. Now, Vicky Kaushal could join this list though it obviously depends on what happens in the next few films as its never just one film. Not being able to create male stars is one of the biggest things keeping the industry down and any addition is like a godsend.
The two-day numbers of CHHAAVA are as follows.
Friday – 29,00,00,000 apprx
Saturday – 34,00,00,000 apprx
TOTAL – 63,00,00,000 apprx
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CHHAAVA is also flying in Overseas as it showed a huge jump on day two and this is coming off Valentines Day which could have helped the first day in some of the circuits. The film collected $900,000 on the first day and will be around $1.2 million on the second day. The overseas has a limited audience for a Maratha film and as a result, these numbers are huge.
There may been a BAJIRAO MASTANI but the Bhansali factor was there and Deepika Padukone is a bonafide overseas star which would have helped that film. But there is no such thing here in this film. This jump on Saturday shows the film is going to go on a huge run overseas as well. North America has jumped well on Saturday but there will be more to come as this market will lead the film.
The Gulf market could have been better on day one but this genre with a Maratha feel is not really going to open here but eventually good numbers will come. The weekend will cross $3 million which is outstanding for a such a film and it will build from there.