2024 has now seen another century at the box office, what with Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire entering the Rs. 100 Crores Club*. The film had a good first week when it scored a solid half century and now it has also gone past the Rs. 100 crores mark*, which is quite good because typically films don’t really double up their first week score. However, the Hollywood biggie has been consistently collecting and lack of any competition is helping its cause as well.

This can well be seen from the fact that right through the weekdays, the film was in excess of Rs. 40 lakhs, which is excellent when compared to Friday when Rs. 46 lakhs had come in. In fact, on Wednesday the film had zoomed to Rs. 85 lakhs* due to Maharashtra Day and Labour Day, and that further allowed the film to go past the Rs. 100 crores mark quickly. With its current total standing at Rs. 100.50 crores*, the film will comfortably go past the Rs. 105 crores mark and with some luck could even aim for Rs. 110 crores since May is pretty barren as well.

For the industry, the film has brought some respite since it’s only the third Rs. 100 Crores Club film after Fighter (which went past the Rs. 200 crores mark) and Shaitaan (which has recently edged past the Rs. 150 crores mark). One now waits to see which is the best film that will arrive and score a century at the box office.

*Estimates. Final numbers awaited

Note: All collections as per production and distribution sources

This could well be a first. Though in the past too there have been instances when films haven’t been released in theatres for a long period of time, once when there was a film strike around a decade and a half back, and then later when IPL (Indian Premiere League) started showing its might due to which films started shying away from arriving in theatres during that time period, the only instance when there was practically a complete blackout was during the pandemic.

However, in a first, even though just IPL is competition (which is not as big as it used to be), theatres will be having a completely barren look tomorrow. There is not a single film - read again, not a single film - releasing tomorrow. The industry rails have come to a screeching halt since the Eid releases and while there was a film or two that arrived every Friday even post that, currently there is just no film planned for arrival in theatres. The reason stated is that elections are keeping filmmakers away though honestly, this could actually have been a better time to arrive because after people cast their votes, they could have easily come to theatres, which anyways have their best occupancy post afternoon.

None of the holdover releases are doing any great shakes either with not even Rs. 1 crore coming for any of the films (individually) on a daily basis. Collections are reeling in just lakhs and collective numbers of Bollywood films are less than 2 crores on a daily basis against a capacity of Rs. 70-80 crores. That’s an average occupancy of 2.5% per screen, per show. From tomorrow, it’s only going to get worst.

Let that sink in!

After bringing Rs. 13.04 crores in the week gone by, Maidaan is now set to have its best week on week hold this week with over Rs. 7.50 crores more expected to come in. This has been made possible by some progress that the film managed to make over the weekend when collections jumped from Rs. 0.50 crores on Friday to Rs. 2.20 crores* on Sunday, which is more than double. As a result, the weekend score read Rs. 4.80 crores*.

Now with around Rs. 60 lakhs* more coming on Monday and then stability expected in rest of the weekdays, the third week numbers should close around Rs. 7 crores mark, which would be a reasonable drop from last week collections of Rs. 13.04 crores. That would mean a drop of just a little over 35%, which would be good hold.

That said, all of this is academic since even though from percentage perspective the drop is contained, what’s required is that absolute numbers are good too and this is where Maidaan needed (and deserved) to do so much better. For a biggie like this, such kind of numbers would have seemed better had they come in the fifth week but right now we are taking about third week and that too when the start of the film was really disheartening. It’s all about picking up the best of what’s coming the way of this well-made Ajay Devgn starrer and adding on to Rs. 44.69 crores* that it has collected so far. Soon enough it will go past the Rs. 50 crores mark and then also manage to add some more.

*Estimates. Final numbers awaited

Note: All collections as per production and distribution sources

It was a fair weekend for Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire as a little over Rs. 2.50 crores* came in. Given the fact that there is no real competition around it and it's also a set film, at least a crore more could well have come in. However, a majority of audiences has already watched the film and the footfalls are now primarily coming in because there is no major alternative. Hence, they are basically trickling in some sort of numbers instead of a large crowd gathering for the film on a daily basis.

That said, the film has more than just done its job and is a big hit already. In the times when so many new movies are simply dead on arrival, this one at least managed to not just take an opening but also sustain well, hence promising to come close to double its first week score of Rs. 54 crores. It won't reach exactly Rs. 108 crores but then has a shot at concluding its theatrical run around Rs. 105 crores mark.

Before that, it's gearing up now for its major milestone of gaining an entry into the Rs. 100 Crores Club. Currently at Rs. 98.32 crores*, it's now less than Rs. 2 crores away from hitting the century, and that should happen by the next weekend. Then it will eventually go past the lifetime scores of other Hollywood biggies Jurassic World [Rs. 101 crores] and Thor: Love and Thunder [Rs. 101.70 crores] as well, though it will fall short of Furious 7 [Rs. 108 crores].

That said, it's a superhit nonetheless, especially in today's parlance, and that's an achievement in itself.

*Estimates. Final numbers awaited

Note: All collections as per production and distribution sources

Madgaon Express managed to bring footfalls all over again in the sixth weekend as close to Rs. 80 lakhs came in. There is nil competition around it and hence even with limited screens and shows, there are footfalls coming in. Apart from Shaitaan, it is one film which is actually enjoying long legs in theatres and will soon be completing 50 days as well.

The movie earned almost the same amount on all three days Friday, Saturday and Sunday with Rs. 0.26 lakhs, Rs. 0.26 lakhs and Rs. 0.24 lakhs coming in.

That’s what makes this week interesting because if the weekdays hold on well too then it would only enable the film to go much ahead of the Rs. 35 crores mark. Last week Rs. 2.21 crores more had come during the weekdays and something similar this week will work well for the film which currently stands at Rs. 34.37 crores.

Note: All collections as per production and distribution sources

2023 was a great year for several industries, especially Bollywood, Tamil and Telugu. Hindi cinema saw its best-ever year, with a gross box office of Rs. 5,380 crores and crossing the Rs. 5,000 crores mark for the first time. Telugu and Tamil industries also saw record earnings and footfalls last year. This year, the first four months for all these three industries have been pretty okay. On the other hand, Malayalam cinema didn't have its best performance in 2023. But in 2024, it's gone to another level, shocking as well surprising fans and industry in equal measures.

In the first four months of this year, Malayalam cinema gave several big grossers like Anweshippin Kandethum, Premalu, Bramayugam, Manjummel Boys, Aadujeevitham - The Goat Life, Varshangalkku Shesham and Aavesham.

Anweshippin Kandethum, made at a modest budget, was a huge hit. The romcom Premalu is now the fifth highest-grossing Malayalam film of all time. Thanks to its popularity, its sequel has been announced as well. Bramayugam, shot in black-and-white, was loved for its concept, spooky moments and performance of Mammootty. Prithviraj Sukumaran's Aadujeevitham - The Goat Life, in the making for many years, was a huge money-spinner. Varshangalkku Shesham and Aavesham, which were released last week, are also doing extremely well.

Lastly, Manjummel Boys generated a historic craze. It is the biggest Malayalam hit of all time and is the first Malayalam film to gross more than Rs. 200 crores worldwide. A chunk of its earnings also came from Tamil markets since Manjummel Boys has a strong Tamil connect. Exhibitors in centres like Chennai reported that the survival thriller ran house-full for several weeks. Ruban Mathiavan, of Chennai-based G K Cinemas, told The Times of India, “It has already earned equal to what films with Tamil superstars earn. Kamal Hassan and the Ilaiyaraaja song have been a huge factor in it,” he says.

In 2023, the total gross domestic collections of Malayalam films, as per Ormax, was Rs. 572 crores. It was less than the 2022 earnings of Rs. 633 crores. Even the footfalls slipped from 7.5 crores in 2022 to 6.7 crores in 2023.

But until mid-April 2024, the cumulative total of Malayalam films this year is already Rs. 405 crores! This information was revealed in Ormax's box office report of March 2024. It stated that Malayalam film collections in 2024 are already 71% of the entire Malayalam box office in 2023.

Moreover, the share of Malayalam films at the domestic box office was just 5% while that of Telugu and Tamil were 19% and 16% respectively. This year, in a rare instance, the Malayalam box office share is at 16%, which is more than the 9% share of Tamil films. Tamil, obviously, is a bigger industry and hence Malayalam films have achieved a historic feat.

It’s rare for an industry to deliver so many huge hits in a short period. And the fun has just started. Three promising films are up for release in May - Nivin Pauly-starrer Malayalee From India, Tovino Thomas-starrer Nadikar and Prithviraj Sukumaran-Basil Joseph starrer Guruvayoor Ambalanadayil, among others. At this rate, before mid-2024, the box office earnings of Malayalam films this year will cross the 2023 collections. There are high chances that the Rs. 712 crores figure of 2017 – the highest that Malayalam films collected in a year – will also be breached in the second half of 2024.

Even though there are close to 10 films currently playing, be it the latest releases, or the holdover ones, both from Bollywood as well as Hollywood, it is Maidaan which has managed maximum collections on Saturday. Not that it is much as the collections needed to be far-far bigger, and that too for last 10 days for the film to succeed, it's still some sort of a respite that it is at least finding an audience for itself, which is waking up to the word of mouth.

The Ajay Devgn starrer brought in Rs. 2.83 crores* on Saturday and that's more than Rs. 1 crore ahead of what the film had brought on Friday. This is a good jump from relative standpoint though when it comes to absolute numbers, it needs to keep collecting on the same lines not just on Sunday but from Monday onwards as well. If by some miracle it tops the Rs. 2 crores mark on Monday, then that would be some sort of a win because the film can't afford to get back in that Rs. 1-1.50 crores range again.

This is a film which has its merits and deserves to be a winner all the way. Hence, it's heartbreaking that the collections are nowhere close to what they should be. Still, it's hanging in there at least and has now netted Rs. 32.64 crores*. The way the film is currently going, it will cross Rs. 40 crores by the close of second week and post that it would be interesting to see if similar kind of collections keep coming in the third week as well, hence promising a run of sorts.

*Estimates. Final numbers awaited

Note: All collections as per production and distribution sources

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire has now crossed the Rs. 90 crores mark. The film brought in Rs. 80 lakhs more on Friday and that was a bit of an increment over Thursday when Rs. 78 lakhs had come in. This pretty much ensured that there would be growth on Saturday and this is what happened as Rs. 1 crore mark was crossed all over again. This would now happen again today, though a bigger jump would really benefit the Hollywood biggie, which has managed to regain quite a few screens for itself.

The film currently stands at Rs. 91.32 crores* and would come close to Rs. 93 crores mark by the close of weekend. If the film stays steady during the weekdays, which it should, it would give it a chance to go past the Rs. 95 crores mark by close of fourth week and from there on its last leg of reaching Rs. 100 Crores Club would begin.

Meanwhile, it's counterpart from the West, Kung Fu Panda 4 has managed to find a few shows going for itself as well. The film came with zero promotion and marketing and its credit to its franchise value and the entertaining content that it will go past Rs. 35 crores number soon. Currently, the film stands at Rs. 34.75 crores*, a good enough number considering the fact that it has opened at Rs. 2.18 crores with the first week closing at Rs. 15.30 crores. Its trajectory is on the same lines as Madgaon Express, which too is aiming for an eventual lifetime score of Rs. 35 crores.

*Estimates. Final numbers awaited

Note: All collections as per production and distribution sources

When last week's Eid releases didn't open well and then couldn't grow either, the writing was clear on the wall. Audiences are looking for something really-really special and when even biggies are not getting an initial either, then any other new release would need to be extraordinarily special to get audiences. It's understandable if the opening day numbers doesn't come but then the content has to fly in order to entice footfalls from Saturday onwards. After all, this has already happened with both 12th Fail and Madgaon Express, which ended up working.

In case of Do Aur Do Pyaar and Love Sex Aur Dhokha 2, one wasn't expecting a similar opening to begin with and it was all about arriving in theatres, getting some good reviews from critics and then have that select set of audiences appreciate it as well so that there could be a turnaround from Saturday onwards. That's why even though Do Aur Do Pyaar has still managed to open at Rs. 65 lakhs, Love Sex aur Dhokha 2 is much lower at Rs. 15 lakhs. Now, the real test would be from today on where these films will eventually go.

Both the films have ample space available to grow since Bade Miyan Chote Miyan and Maidaan are as it is low. Holdover releases too just have some sort of collections trickling in and none of those have managed to touch even Rs. 1 crore. However, the turnaround needs to be really fast from today itself. One just hopes that this happens indeed and there is some respite at least for some theatre owners.

Note: All collections as per production and distribution sources

Filmmaker Amit Ravindernath Sharma’s Maidaan, which stars Ajay Devgn in the lead, is based on the golden period of Indian football in the early 1950s and it focuses on the celebrated Indian football coach Syed Abdul Rahim. It became a rare movie to get high acclaim from critics and audience alike. However, this hasn’t proved to be enough as the movie has sunk at the box office by earning only Rs. 28.12 crores in its extended first week.

Let’s have a look at how Maidaan fared in week 1 as compared to other films of 2024. The Ajay Devgn starrer is at number 7 in the list of highest first week earneres. The list is dominated by Hrithik Roshan, Deepika Padukone and Anil Kapoor starrer action-drama Fighter, which made an impressive Rs. 139.50 crores in week 1. This film is followed by Shaitaan, which made Rs. 81.60 in its first week.

Maidaan had clashed with Bade Miyan Chote Miyan and the latter earned much more in its first week by amassing Rs. 46.17 crores. However, despite this, the film has turned out to be a major failure at the ticket window. Films like Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya and Article 370 are also ahead of Maidaan by minting Rs. 41.97 crores and Rs. 38.82 crores respectively in week 1.

Films with highest first week collections in week 1 at a glance:

Fighter – Rs. 139.50 cr

Shaitaan – Rs. 81.60 cr

Crew – Rs. 47.54 cr

Bade Miyan Chote Miyan – Rs. 46.17 cr

Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya – Rs. 41.97 cr

Article 370 – Rs. 38.82 cr

Maidaan – Rs. 28.12 cr

Also Read: Bade Miyan Chote Miyan Box Office: Film emerges as the 4th highest first week grosser of 2024

There were a lot of hopes from filmmaker Ali Abbas Zafar’s Bade Miyan Chote Miyan. Apart from it being a high-octane action film, it is also a rare movie to star two massy heroes together; something not seen much in today’s times. However, the movie’s box office journey in week one was disappointing to say the least as it only managed to earn Rs. 46.17 crores.

Let’s have a look at how BMCM has fared in its first week in comparison to the week one score of other big releases of 2024. The film with the highest first week collection is Siddharth Anand’s Fighter with Rs. 139.50 crores, followed by Shaitaan and Crew with Rs. 81.60 crores and Rs. 47.54 crores respectively. Following these two films is Bade Miyan Chote Miyan.

Interestingly, BMCM’s score in the first week is more than that of successful films like Article 370 (Rs. 38.82 crores) and Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya (Rs. 41.97 crores). However, one needs to note that the budget and scale of BMCM are much higher than these two films and it enjoyed an extended week of eight days since it had released on Thursday.

Films with highest first week collections in week 1 at a glance:

Fighter – Rs. 139.50 cr

Shaitaan – Rs. 81.60 cr

Crew – Rs. 47.54 cr

Bade Miyan Chote Miyan – Rs. 46.17 cr

Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya – Rs. 41.97 cr

Article 370 – Rs. 38.82 cr

Also Read: Post Covid – 9 releases, 6 FLOPS, and average lifetime of Rs. 78 crores. Trade experts decode Akshay Kumar’s post-pandemic blues and massive box office slump: “If any actor overexposes himself, toh woh nahin chalega”

It was a very low Monday for Bade Miyan Chote Miyan as only 2.25 crores came in. On its opening day, the film had brought in Rs. 16.07 crores but since that was Eid, a drop was always expected. However, on Friday the film stood at 6.50 crores. Though even this was low, one would have gauged the drop from this day and hence even a 50% drop would have meant collections around the Rs. 3.75 crores mark.

Hence, with Monday turning out to be even lower, it’s really surprising. There are all sorts of offers also going around the ticket prices, but the numbers have just not come. More than surprisingly, it’s also very disappointing because by no means are these numbers justifying the kind of scale and setting at which the film has been made. Moreover, in all earnestly, this isn’t the kind of a film with such disastrous content that collections just don’t come in. Yes, there are certain issues for sure but still, there is a lot of action in there and at least at the mass centres such kind of content does pay off to some extent at least.

Nonetheless, what has happened has happened and now all involved with the film can well expect to move on to their next. Currently, the film stands at Rs. 40.32 crores and it would stay under the Rs. 50 crores mark by the close of extended first week. Post that, even though there are quite a few open weeks ahead, it would be difficult to imagine where Bade Miyan Chote Miyan will eventually conclude its theatrical run.

This one deserved better.

Note: All collections as per production and distribution sources

The Amit Ravindernath Sharma directed Maidaan has recorded a freefall at the box office on Monday as the collections have come down crashing at an extremely low level. According to early estimates, Maidaan has collected in the range of Rs. 1.25 to 1.50 crores on its fifth day taking total collections to Rs. 23.50 crores.

The Ajay Devgn film is now a certified disaster much like Bade Miyan Chote Miyan and will end up making monumental losses for producers and the studio. The drop is rather shocking as the film was received well with positive reviews among audiences and critics alike. All eyes are now on Ajay Devgn's next, Auro Mein Kahan Dum Tha!

It's all over for Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff's Bade Miyan Chote Miyan as the collections have come down crashing on the make-or-break Monday test. According to early estimates, Bade Miyan Chote Miyan collected around Rs. 2.25 to 2.50 crores on the fifth day, taking the five-day total to Rs. 40 crores. These collections have come in after the dhamakedaar offer of tickets being priced at Rs. 127 in select cinemas.

The film has crash-landed across the board and is headed to emerge as one of the biggest disasters of Hindi Cinema. Made on a budget of over Rs. 350 crores, the losses will be staggering. While the numbers in multiplexes have come down crashing, what's surprising is hardly any support from the mass belts as an action film with action stars should have done better business on single screens. The collections are hardly impressive, and the lifetime business will be under Rs. 60 crores if present trends are anything to go by.

Starting with Wednesday paid previews and then four day extended weekend from Thursday to Sunday, Maidaan has crossed Rs. 22 crores mark and currently stands at 22.22 crores. The film was reasonably okay on paid preview shows when Rs. 2.25 crores came in. Though that too was much below expectations, it was still some sort of a start. However, it was collections that came on Eid that hit the hardest and numbers stayed at the Rs. 5 crores mark.

For a film with some of the best reviews that have been seen in last so many months, and that too fell all quarters, it was indeed a jolt and a shocking one at that. Furthermore, it was all the more disheartening when collections dropped massively on Saturday with just 2.80 crores coming in. Hence, all eyes were on whether the film would be able to recover from something like this. Honestly, from this point on everything was anyway going to be in an upward direction but then there have been a lot more unprecedented and shocking things that have happened in the past due to which one could never be too sure.

That’s the reason why there was some respite when collections doubled up on Saturday and stood at 5.65 crores. It was also the best day for the film and now the collections had added on top of the (full-fledged) opening day, which was at Rs 5 crores. With such a good jump coming in, one couldn’t have expected the story to be repeated on Sunday, and hence a nominal increase in footfalls was on the cards. This is what happened too as 6.52 crores came in, something that put the overall total past the Rs. 22 crores mark. What has to be seen is what happens from here since the overall numbers are still quite low, though momentum has started coming in. If that continues to be on the film’s side from today onwards as well then you never know, a miracle could be there on the cards for the Ajay Devgn starrer.

Note: All collections as per production and distribution sources

After its opening day when a little over Rs. 16 crores had come in, Bade Miyan Chote Miyan hung in there around Rs. 8 crores mark on Saturday and Sunday. There was an increment in collections on the cards since on Saturday the film had shown some growth. Moreover, with BOGO offer being introduced, some sort of benefit could have come in. However, Sunday growth was very limited.

Of course, given the kind of credentials that the film boasts of, the numbers are not doing justice to it at all. Apart from the fact that this one is a biggie, it’s also a decent enough entertainer (at the very least) and hence deserved to be collecting at least double of what it’s currently doing. At a bare minimum, a film like Bade Miyan Chote Miyan should be collecting at least Rs. 20 crores on its first Sunday and hence rest assured, there would be a detailed root cause analysis that would be done by all involved once the dust settles down.

This Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff starrer is certainly better than what the numbers would suggest, and the key hope is that the weekdays stay stable from here and closer to Friday numbers at least, so that some sort of resurgence is on the cards. So far, the Ali Abbas Zafar directed film has collected Rs. 38 crores and it would be aiming to go past the Rs. 50 crores mark maximum by tomorrow.

Note: All collections as per production and distribution sources

The Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff starrer Bade Miyan Chote Miyan has recorded a dismissal trend at the box office in its opening weekend. According to early estimates, the Ali Abbas Zafar film has collected in the range of Rs. 37.50 crores in its four-day extended opening weekend.

The film opened at Rs. 16.07 crore on Eid and the trajectory since then has been below the mark. BMCM dropped to Rs. 6.5 crores on Friday, followed by Rs. 7.5 crores and Rs. 8.5 crores respectively on Saturday and Sunday. The film is reportedly made on a budget of Rs. 300 crores plus. Bade Miyan Chote Miyan has faced outright rejection from the audiences and critics alike. There is already a fear in the industry for a crash on Monday and the hope is on film to stablize at a certain point and then record a trend, though that looks unlikely.

The Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff film Bade Miyan Chote Miyan failed to show a big jump in collections on Saturday. According to early estimates, the film saw a mere 10% gain on Saturday with collections in the range of Rs. 8.00 to 8.50 crores.

With this, the 3 day total of Bade Miyan Chote Miyan stands at Rs. 30 crore and the four-day weekend will be in the range of Rs. 38 crore. The trend is not upto the mark and there will be little coming in after the 4-day weekend period. The film is doing better in mass belts as compared to the metros but it's nothing like what it should be for a big-budget action film starring two action stars - Akshay Kumar & Tiger Shroff. The Monday collections will give us an idea of the lifetime collections.

The Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff film, Bade Miyan Chote Miyan has seen a major drop in collections on day 2. According to early estimates, the film has collected in the range of Rs. 6.50 crore to 7 crore on the second day, taking two-day total collections to Rs 22.75 crore.

The film has come down despite the benefit of Basi Eid, and this signals rejection from the audience. The budgets are on the higher side and this sort of drop in numbers on 2nd Day suggests all is not well at the box office.  The lifetime collections of Bade Miyan Chote Miyan will be under the Rs. 75 crore mark and this is a very poor result for an action film with two big stars like Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff. The director, Ali Abbas Zafar is also a brand name and hence these numbers are a shocker.

Bade Miyan Chote Miyan will be looking at an opening weekend of Rs. 35 to 37 crores, and it's the Monday test which will determine the lifetime.

The most awaited Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff film, Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, has taken a slow start at the box office in India. According to early estimates, the action-packed entertainer has collected in the range of Rs. 15 to 16 crores on the opening day. The Ali Abbas Zafar directorial got some external support too, but even with that, the numbers are not up to the mark. Bade Miyan Chote Miyan opening day business benefitted from the Eid Holiday too and the number would have been around the Rs. 10 crore mark if not for the National Holiday.

The film has collected Rs. 7.75 crores across the Top 3 national chains – PVR, Inox, and Cinepolis - which has contributed around 50 percent to the total business. The single screens were expected to be strong, but the mass belts have not come on board in as big a number as it was expected. All eyes are now on the weekend trend.

With a strategic call being taken to release Maidaan on Wednesday evening in paid preview shows, a start has been made by the film. The idea was to have early reviews to begin floating direct from audiences and that has indeed paid off, what with all around positive response coming in. There is not even a single soul that has disliked the film and that’s a testimony to the kind of content that was out on display in this three-hour film.

Wednesday evening collections have come as Rs. 2.5 crores* and that’s decent enough, considering there were change in plans around the eventual release and the advance booking too opened quite late. In context of that and the fact that Eid holiday is actually today, all that the film could actually hope for was a number over Rs. 2 crores. Considering that the paid previews numbers have turned out to be wee better and now all eyes are on how would the collections play today, when there is this big holiday of Eid. Post that, the film will start talking for itself from tomorrow onwards but then the Eid advantage should ensure much better collections today.

The aim would be to go past the Rs. 10 crores mark today and that would be a good support to gain. This one is a word of mouth affair and sooner do people get to know about the film and its merits, the better it would be for the eventual outcome of Maidaan. After all, even if this is a content film, at the end of the day still good budget has been allocated to it. Hence, box office revenue is important for it which needs to start reflecting as well from today onwards.

*Estimates. Final numbers awaited

Note: All collections as per production and distribution sources

In the world of Bollywood, where stars rise and fall like constellations in the night sky, Kriti Sanon has been steadily ascending the ranks, poised to carve her name among the luminaries of Indian cinema. With her latest film Crew continuing its strong run at the box office, Kriti is on the brink of a historic milestone. In fact, the actress who has been enjoying a successful run at the box office has managed to emerge as one of the Top 10 actresses of 2024 with the highest cumulative box office collections.

As of the latest tally, the Top 10 Actresses of 2024 with the highest cumulative collections at the India box office showcase Kriti Sanon's impressive standing. With two releases in 2024 viz. Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya and the recently released Crew Kriti claims the third spot on the list with a cumulative collection of Rs. 137.67 cr, managing to come in just behind Deepika Padukone who drew in Rs. 199.45 cr. from Fighter and Jyotika with Rs. 144.29 cr. from Shaitaan. If that was not enough, in 2024 as compared to other actresses on the list of highest cumulative collections Kriti has managed to place above the likes her Crew co-stars of Kareena Kapoor Khan, and Tabu.

Top 5 Actresses of 2024 with the Highest Cumulative Collections at the India Box Office

Deepika Padukone - Rs. 199.45 cr.

Jyotika - Rs. 144.29 cr.

Kriti Sanon - Rs. 137.67 cr.

Kareena Kapoor Khan - Rs. 56.79 cr.

Tabu - Rs. 56.79 cr.

However, the story does not end here. Delving into the archives of Bollywood's all-time greats, we find the illustrious All-Time Top 10 Actresses with the highest cumulative collections at the India Box Office. Within this list, with her latest film Crew continuing its strong run at the box office, Kriti is on the brink of a historic milestone, set to surpass Sonm Kapoor Ahuja to enter the prestigious All Time Top 10 Actresses list.

With her cumulative collections soaring past the billion-rupee mark, Kriti Sanon's journey from a promising newcomer to a box office powerhouse is nothing short of spectacular. As Crew continues to draw audiences with its captivating storyline and Kriti's compelling performance, industry analysts predict her imminent leap into the All Time Top 10 Actresses charts.

Top 10 All-Time Actresses with the Highest Cumulative Collections at the India Box Office

Katrina Kaif - Rs. 3,130.66 cr.

Deepika Padukone - Rs. 2,901.15 cr.

Kareena Kapoor Khan - Rs. 2,456.50 cr.

Alia Bhatt - Rs. 1,800.03 cr.

Priyanka Chopra Jonas - Rs. 1,603.87 cr.

Anushka Sharma - Rs. 1,539.51 cr.

Sonakshi Sinha - Rs. 1,314.57 cr.

Shraddha Kapoor - Rs. 1,311.67 cr.

Jacqueline Fernandez - Rs. 1,308.56 cr.

Sonam Kapoor Ahuja - Rs. 1,259.80 cr.

Kriti Sanon - Rs. 1,023.35 cr.

Kriti Sanon's rise stands as a testament to the enduring allure of Indian cinema and the indomitable spirit of its leading women. As fans eagerly anticipate her next projects and milestones, Kriti's ascent to the pantheon of Bollywood's greatest actresses seems not just a possibility but an inevitability.

Last year was phenomenal for Bollywood as a number of films exceeded expectations at the box office. Movies with big stars like Pathaan, Gadar 2, Jawan and Animal became monumental success stories at the ticket window. This year hasn’t fired as much as the last, but it has had its share of successes. The latest example is Crew, which has become the fifth movie of 2024 to gross Rs. 100 crores worldwide.

Released on March 29, the movie, which stars Tabu, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Kriti Sanon in lead roles, started positively despite an all-female cast. Yesterday on April 6, it reached Rs. 104.13 crores gross worldwide, out of which it made Rs. 67.49 crores gross in India and Rs. 33.35 crores gross overseas.

The highest worldwide grosser of the year so far is Siddharth Anand’s Fighter, which starred Hrithik Roshan, Deepika Padukone and Anil Kapoor in pivotal roles. The movie grossed Rs. 337.2 crores worldwide and is way ahead of the rest of the films in the list. This is followed by the Ajay Devgn, R Madhavan, Jyothika and Janki Bodiwala starrer Shaitaan with Rs. 204.29 crores. The next three positions are held by Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya, Article 370 and Crew with Rs. 133.64 crores, Rs. 110.03 crores and Rs. 104.13 crores gross respectively.

One should take note that out of these films, Crew and Shaitaan are still running in theatres.

Top 5 Worldwide grossers of 2024 at a glance:

Fighter – Rs. 337.2 cr

Shaitaan – Rs. 204.29 cr

Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya – 133.34 cr

Article 370 – 110.03 cr

Crew – Rs. 104.13 cr

Also Read: Kriti Sanon lights up the Box Office with 2 back-to-back 100 crore worldwide grossers in 2024; a first for Bollywood’s new golden girl

Delivering a box office hit is a big deal in Bollywood where not many films achieve that. And to have two out of two successful films at the ticket window in a year is an even bigger feat. Kriti Sanon has achieved that before 2024 reaches even the half way mark as Crew has become her second film of the year to gross Rs. 100 crores worldwide after Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya.

Also starring Tabu and Kareena Kapoor Khan in pivotal roles, Crew is a heist comedy. Directed by Rajesh Krishnan, the movie has so far grossed Rs. 67.49 crores in India and Rs. 33.35 crores gross overseas. Its grand worldwide total currently is Rs. 104.13 crores and the film is yet to end its box office journey.

Before this movie, Kriti had Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya, which released on February 9. The film ended its box office journey at Rs. 96.29 crores gross in India and Rs. 37.35 crores gross overseas. This took its worldwide gross number to Rs. 133.64 crores. TBMAUJ also starred Shahid Kapoor and the story revolved around his character falling in love with a robot with human features, played by Kriti.

Crew is produced under the banners of Ektaa R Kapoor’s Balaji Motion Pictures and Anil Kapoor Films & Communications Network.

Also Read: Kriti Sanon lights up the Box Office with 2 back-to-back 100 crore worldwide grossers in 2024; a first for Bollywood’s new golden girl

Kriti Sanon is one of the most loved actresses of Bollywood currently. After making her debut with Heropanti alongside Tiger Shroff in 2014, her fan following has just increased with each passing year. Although we are just in the fourth month of 2024, the year has already turned out to be terrific for her. She has a major feat of giving two Rs. 100 crores worldwide grossers back-to-back in the form of Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya and Crew.

Released on February 9 and also starring Shahid Kapoor, TBMAUJ achieved good numbers in India and outside. Its worldwide gross amounted to Rs. 133.64 crores. Out of this, its India gross number was Rs. 96.29 crores. Kriti’s performance in the film as a robot with human features was also appreciated.

Just at the end of the next month on March 29, Kriti had another big film in the form of Crew and this made it two out of two successes for the young actress. Just like TBAUJ, this movie also grossed Rs. 100 crores mark worldwide just yesterday on April 6.

To break down the number, the film’s India gross collections and overseas gross collections currently stand at Rs. 67.49 crores and Rs. 33.35 crores respectively. Hence, its worldwide gross number currently is Rs. 100.84 crores.

Crew is a heist comedy, which also stars Tabu and Kareena Kapoor Khan in pivotal roles.

Also Read: Kriti Sanon reacts to the narrative of blaming women for film’s failure: “A film, succeeding or not, is not one just person”

There have been very few Bollywood movies where three females have played the lead. There have been even fewer films of this kind that have managed to achieve success at the box office. Filmmaker Rajesh Krishnan’s Crew, which stars Tabu, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Kriti Sanon in the lead, is one such rare film. After releasing on March 29, it has slowly climbed the ladder of success, not just in India but also worldwide.

The latest update about Crew is that it has grossed Rs. 100 crores worldwide. The film achieved the feat yesterday on April 6. To break down the number, the film’s India gross collections and overseas gross collections currently stand at Rs. 67.49 crores and Rs. 33.35 crores respectively. Hence, its worldwide gross number currently is Rs. 100.84 crores.

Crew is filmmaker Rajesh Krishnan’s second feature film. His first film Lootcase, which starred Kunal Kemmu in the lead, was released directly on OTT and it had received accolades from audience and critics alike.

The movie still has four more clear days to earn as much as it can before the two biggies Bade Miyan Chote Miyan and Maidaan release on April 10.

Crew is produced under the banners of Ektaa R Kapoor’s Balaji Motion Pictures and Anil Kapoor Films & Communications Network.

Crew Box Office details at a glance India box office Nett - 56.69 cr. India box office Gross - 67.49 cr. Overseas Gross - 33.35 cr. Worldwide collections Gross - 100.84 cr.

Also Read: Amul honours Tabu, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Kriti Sanon starrer Crew with witty topical

It was a Rs. 100 crores week for the exhibitors during the week gone by as both Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire and Crew did well enough and managed to have a combined total of around Rs. 100 crores between them. While Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire went on to score a comfortable half century, Crew fell a bit short but still did well enough to come quite close to Rs. 50 crores.

When Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire was announced for released, not many were betting on it to emerge as a big success. Yes, it was expected to do well since the last instalment had come close to the Rs. 50 crores mark. Hence, this one was also pitched to do at least that and then add some more. However, since there was no marketing or promotion, at least on social media, there was not much choice. As is the fact though, there is life outside social media and hence amongst the real audience, there was buzz which brought in Rs. 53.50 crores*.

Similarly, Crew also did better than expected. This is a film that was smartly packaged, marketed, promoted and released. Hence, it was a given that it would open well. Still, the weekend numbers were at least Rs. 5-7 crores more than what many would have predicted. This is the reason why the first week score too has come out good at Rs. 47.25 crores*. While this is a healthy number, considering the kind of trending that had come over the first weekend and then the hold on Monday as well, one would have expected it to score a half century as well.

That said, with no new release this weekend, both films have five more open days ahead to perform before Eid releases Bade Miyan Chote Miyan and Maidaan arrive on Wednesday. That would give them further momentum, especially over the weekend when one can expect some big jumps to come in.

*Estimates: Final numbers awaited

Note: All collections as per production and distribution sources

There is something exciting finally happening at the theatres with double digit scores on Monday as well. Post the release of Shaitaan, it has been a relatively quiet time in theatres and though occasionally there has been some sort of movement over the weekend, the scene has been rather dry during weekdays. Thankfully, this was not the case with this Monday at least, what with Crew and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire holding on well and bringing in over Rs. 10 crores.

Let’s talk about Crew first. The film had collected Rs. 10.28 crores on its opening day (partial holiday of Good Friday) and that had given it a boost. Hence, on Monday one expected that even if Rs. 4-5 crores come in, and that too without any support of BOGO or reduced ticket price offer, then even that would be quite good. This is what happened as Rs. 4.52 crores came in and that’s at par with the kind of merits that the all-women multi-starrer boasts of. As a result, one can now expect the rest of the weekdays to be stable as well since the film had certainly been liked, and the collections will go on to build on top of Rs. 37.12 crores that have been accumulated so far.

As for Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, it has actually done even better with Monday going up to Rs. 6 crores*, which is really good. After a start of Rs. 12.60 crores where again the collections were aided by the partial holiday of Good Friday, to drop by just around 50% on Monday, a regular working day, is indeed impressive. More so because there has been no pre or post media push or any marketing or PR happening. Still, the fantasy adventure action film has come and doing such good business in India, just like it has been doing globally. With Rs. 43.60 crores* in its kitty already, the film will go on to do business of around Rs. 57-58 crores by the close of first week itself.

*Estimates. Final numbers awaited

Note: All collections as per production and distribution sources

Director Vikas Bahl’s Shaitaan appeared like an out-of-the-box film from its teaser and trailer. The film is the official Hindi remake of the Gujarati supernatural thriller Vash. Starring Ajay Devgn, R Madhavan, Janki Bodiwala and Jyothika, the film proved after its release that it is not only a different product but also a thriller that keeps the audience on the edge of their seats. This was also reciprocated in the film’s box office collections. Its latest triumph is that it has become the second movie of 2024 to gross Rs. 200 crores worldwide.

Shaitaan achieved this feat recently. The film’s current score is Rs. 201.64 crores. The movie easily surpassed the Rs. 100 crores mark in India last month. It is just the second movie of 2024 to achieve this feat. It also falls on number two right now in the list of highest worldwide grossers of the year.

The first position is acquired by Siddharth Anand’s aerial action movie Fighter. The Hrithik Roshan, Deepika Padukone and Anil Kapoor starrer grossed Rs. 337.2 crores worldwide. Out of this, its India gross amounts to Rs. 169.12 crores.

Apart from Fighter and Shaitaan, there are only two Bollywood movies so far to gross over Rs. 100 crores worldwide. These are the Shahid Kapoor and Kriti Sanon starrer Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya (Rs. 133.49 crores) and the Yami Gautam starrer Article 370 (Rs. 108.96 crores).

Also Read: EXCLUSIVE: Janki Bodiwala talks highly of working with ‘punctual’ and ‘super professional’ Ajay Devgn in Shaitaan; also reveals the special moment when Kartik Aaryan praised her performance: “I was like, ‘Wow, itna bada actor saamne se aapko aisa bol raha hai’!”

The Tabu, Kareena Kapoor & Kriti Sanon starrer Crew has shown a sold hold in collections on Monday. According to early estimates, Crew has passed the Monday test with flying colors with collections expected to be in the range of Rs. 4.50 to 4.80 crores. The film is holding very well in the metros and will be making the most out of its clean run until the arrival of Maidaan and Bade Miyan Chote Miyan on Eid.

The total collections of Crew stands at Rs. 35 crores and the movie has now cemented its success position at the box office in India. If the film shows a healthy trend from hereon, with jumps in 2nd weekend, it is on its course to emerge a clean hit.

Crew could be the fourth clean hit of 2024 after Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya, Article 370, and Shaitaan. The film has done decent business in the international markets as well.

Crew has proved to be the biggest surprise of 2024 as the film has defied all odds and made a mark for itself.

Crew has scored a fantastic first weekend in theatres, what with Rs. 32.60 crores been collected at the box office. The film opened to a double-digit score and that's how it remained right through the weekend as well. There has been a consistent increase in footfalls on a daily basis and that's how from Rs. 10.28 crores on Friday (which was a partial holiday), the film has jumped to Rs. 11.45 crores on Sunday, which is really good.

A comedy is a different genre to crack. On top of this, it's a heist thriller as well. It's really tough to get things right for this combination as just a slip here or there and a film can fall like a pack of cards. All credit to the makers though and the sassy trio of Tabu, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Kriti Sanon that they kept it all plain, simple and entertaining with Crew, which has allowed it to reach out to a good audience base so far.

What has to be seen is that where does the film go from here. The start itself has exceeded the expectations and with word of mouth been largely positive, there is more 'junta' that can be expected to step in. However, this one has a largely urban appeal to it which means on its way the film will have to entice massy audiences as well. If it actually manages to do that by the close of first week, then one can well expect a very good hold in the second weekend as well, something that would be required for it to face the onslaught of Eid releases next Wednesday.

Note: All collections as per production and distribution sources

The Kareena Kapoor, Tabu and Kriti Sanon starrer Crew has scored solid results in its opening weekend as according to early estimates, the film has collected Rs. 32.50 crores through the three-day run. After opening at Rs. 10.28 crores on Friday, the film jumped to Rs. 10.87 crore on Saturday, followed by another jump to Rs. 11.25 crores on Sunday.

The film opened on a Holiday on Friday due to Good Friday and it has been an upward trajectory since then, which spells a positive sign for the film. Crew needs to now show a routine hold on Monday to emerge a successful venture and the word of mouth seems to be positive in the target audience.

Crew has scored a healthy number in its opening weekend and the eyes are now to see the trend over the next 10 days until the arrival of two releases - Bade Miyan Chote Miyan and Maidaan. Being a multiplex film, there should be a spike in the second weekend too pushing the film towards a big lifetime number. If Monday holds well, there is a shot for Crew to hit Rs. 100 crore too however, a Rs. 6 crore Monday is a must.

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire managed to have similar collections as Friday on Saturday as Rs. 12.50 crores* came in. On its opening day, which also was a partial holiday of Good Friday, the film had collected Rs. 13 crores* at the box office. The numbers have in fact come out to be somewhat lesser than Rs. 14 crores that was reported earlier. Still, what it has scored is a big enough number, especially when considering the fact that Godzilla-Kong franchise didn't really have huge footprints in India. That said, after this newest instalment, it will certainly etch its place amongst the big ones.

The film didn't have as huge an edge over Bollywood's Crew as it seemed till yesterday since it too had collected Rs. 10.21 crores. On Saturday, the Ekta Kapoor production has gone further which means the gap between Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire and Crew has reduced further. The Hollywood biggie currently stands at Rs. 25.50 crores* and is still the bigger film though at an all-India level. However, in the core Hindi territories, it's Crew which is leading the show, and how.

It would now be interesting to see how does Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire pan out today. Now that it's a level playing field on Sunday with the initial euphoria around watching an action film settling down, the competition that it will have from Crew will be closely observed. That said, the fact also remains that the Hollywood biggie has found good appreciation from its target audience segment. As a result of that it will play on as well and along with Crew, it will build its case for finding itself in the Rs. 100 Crore Club during its lifetime.

*Estimates. Final numbers awaited

Note: All collections as per production and distribution sources

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire has taken a fantastic opening at the box office. No one really had a clue about the film’s potential till at least a couple of weeks before release. Yes, the makers and the distributors/exhibitors certainly did, due to which they planned a big release well in advance, especially at premium 3D, IMAX and 4DX properties. However the trade was silent about it and even neutral audiences were not heard talking about it.

Well, if the film’s opening is any indication then clearly there was an undercurrent of chatter about it, especially amongst youth and students, something that trade at large was totally oblivious too. Even with a generous understanding of the film’s potential, the best that was being spoken about - and that too after the advance booking simply took off - was an opening day number of Rs. 10-12 crores. In fact even that was being considered to be quite good enough.

However what happened was a real surprise at the box office, what with Rs. 14 crores being collected at the box office. This is simply fabulous because first and foremost it has been ages since such big numbers have come from a Hollywood film. Secondly, even if one considered the partial holiday of Good Friday, there is also Crew that the Hollywood superhero had to contend with and that film also exceeded expectations in a major way with Rs. 10.21 crores coming in.

With good to very good reports coming the film’s way, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is now set to be a success and all that has to be seen is, how big.

Note: All collections as per production and distribution sources

The much talked about and hevily promoted film Crew finally hit screens yesterday. Directed by Rajesh Krishnan the film which stars Tabu, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Kriti Sanon opened with a bang yesterday. In fact, with immense promotions and hype surrounding the film, Crew was expected to open on a strong note. Not just living up to expectations, but surpassing them on opening day the business of Crew witnessed a good rate of collections with Rs. 10.28 cr coming in.

In this box office report, we look at the opening day collections of Crew while comparing the same to previously released female centric film. Not surprisingly, Crew that drew in Rs. 10.28 cr on opening day has emerged as the second highest female centric opening day grosser till date. While leading the list is the previously released film Veere Di Wedding that collected Rs. 10.70 cr, the opening day collections of Crew manages to overshadow other releases like The Dirty Picture that collected Rs. 9.54 cr, Tanu Weds Manu Returns that collected Rs. 8.85 cr, and Dear Zindagi that had collected Rs. 8.75 cr.

If that was not enough, Crew which has received positive feedback from the audience and critics alike is expected to see further growth over its opening weekend. Currently, with the festive weekend of Easter, trade predictions state that the business of Crew is more than likely to see a massive spike in collections over its first Saturday and Sunday in theatres.

Top 10 Highest Female Centric Opening Day Grossers at a glance:

Veere Di Wedding - Rs. 10.70 cr

Crew – Rs. 10.28 cr

The Dirty Picture - Rs. 9.54 cr

Tanu Weds Manu Returns - Rs. 8.85 cr

Dear Zindagi - Rs. 8.75 cr

Ragini MMS 2 - Rs. 8.43 cr

Mary Kom - Rs. 8.4 cr

The Kerala Story - Rs. 8.05 cr

Manikarnika - The Queen of Jhansi - Rs. 7.75 cr

Raazi - Rs. 7.53 cr

The Tabu, Kareena Kapoor and Kriti Sanon starrer Crew has taken a solid start at the box office in India, going past all predictions and projections. According to early estimates, Crew has collected in the range of Rs. 8.75 to 9.75 crores on its opening day, laying the base for a strong total over the weekend.

The business is boosted by the Good Friday Holiday, but even otherwise, the film has taken a good start in India. The business is driven by the metros as Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, and Kolkata have put up a strong total on the first day, and it's these centres that will carry the film towards a big total in the long run too.

Crew has got the start and surprised many with the same and a big chunk of credit goes to the combination of Tabu, Kareena, and Kriti. The song Naina is also a chartbuster which played a role in pushing the sales for opening. 2024 is turning out to be the year of surprises as non-action films have again started to get footfalls and this is a great sign for the longevity of the industry.

Crew will be aiming at an opening weekend in the North of Rs. 30 crores and this is a number that very few could have predicted. All eyes now on Saturday jump as if the film consolidates the solid opening with growth on Saturday, it's poised to be a success story!

Article 370 managed to hang in out there for yet another week as Rs. 2.69 crores came in. In the week before, it had collected Rs. 4.77 crores, so the drop is a little lesser than 50%. That’s also because there was partial holiday of Holi last week and hence the film managed to hold on a little better. Still, films typically fall around 70% on a week by week basis, so this is a good hold as it is.

What further makes the film’s run special is the fact that there have been more than half a dozen notable films that have released since it arrived. Shaitaan has been doing well, Yodha did bring in some numbers, then last week’s Madgaon Express and Swatantrya Veer Savarkar also collected around Rs. 25 crores between them, and there was competition from Hollywood too in the form of Kung Fu Panda 4. Still, Article 370 has managed to stay in circulation and attracted some sort of footfalls, at least.

This week, the competition is much stronger though with Crew and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire arriving. This means it would be tough to stay around 50% of last week’s number. One can expect at least a crore more to come in though and that should help push the numbers further ahead of the Rs. 81.02 crores mark. The Yami Gautam film has done its job though and everything that’s coming in currently are bonus numbers. One now waits to see the kind of response that it gets on OTT once it premieres there in a few weeks from now.

Note: All collections as per production and distribution sources

It was a fair first week for both Madgaon Express and Swatantrya Veer Savarkar as their Thursday collections were not too far off from their Friday opening. While this does demonstrate stability, the fact also remains that theatrically one expects more business from these films. There is a fair cost associated with both the films and while with ancillary rights coming into picture, they should potentially break even, considering the fact that there are merits associated as well, one does expect box office returns to be there as well.

Let’s talk about Madgaon Express first. The film opened at Rs. 1.63 crores and on Thursday it stood at Rs. 1.30 crores. This is good from the hold perspective, though from absolute numbers perspective it would have been nicer if Tuesday to Thursday collections would actually have been greater than Friday. That would have ensured that despite the new releases this week, the film would have continued to bring in consistent collections. Today, the numbers should grow again due to partial holiday of Good Friday and perhaps go past even Rs. 1.63 crores. That would be good and then everything would boil down to numbers that come over rest of the weekend. Currently, the first week stands at Rs. 13.85 crores.

Ditto for Swatantrya Veer Savarkar too which will have a similar trending today after it opened at Rs. 1.10 crores on Friday and then closed at Rs. 1.05 crore on Thursday. The drop here is even lesser but then one expected the film to break out by now, given the theme. This one is a polished classy film and one can see that there is good budget allocated to it. Given the kind of appreciation that has come the way of this Randeep Hooda starrer, one expects that it goes much beyond Rs. 11.37 crores that it has collected so far.

Note: All collections as per production and distribution sources

The Kareena Kapoor, Tabu, and Kriti Sanon starrer Crew is recording a good response in advance booking at the box office in India. As of Thursday at 3.30 PM, the comic caper has sold 34,000 tickets across the big three national chains – PVR, Inox and Cinepolis and is headed for a final advance booking of approx. 45,000 tickets.

The film is slowly gaining momentum in the pre-sales and is setting itself up to surprise with the first-day results. The present trends have more or less confirmed a start of Rs. 7 crores on Friday and if the film commands positive word of mouth from the audience, it has a strong chance of even breaching the Rs. 8 crore mark on day one.

The business is being boosted by the Good Friday Holiday and the start will put the film in a good position to grow over the weekend. The general industry expectation from Crew was to take a start around the Rs. 5 crore mark, the film is headed to surprise and silence all the naysayers.

The advance bookings are already higher than Shahid Kapoor's Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya (33,000 tickets) and this also makes a statement that Kareena Kapoor continues to be a major draw among the audience with the right packaging.

After Veere Di Wedding, the first major all-women starcast film to arrive in theatres is Crew. There may have been a few all-women films that may have released intermittently but none had the kind of star appeal that Crew boasts of. To have Tabu, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Kriti Sanon come together is simply amazing as they represent three different generation of audiences set 10 years apart.

The good part is that each of the three actresses carries a good appeal. Tabu is known for her performance-based roles and it’s good to see her let her hair down for this heist comedy thriller. Kareena has been fun over the years, and it would be nice to see her in a feisty avatar. As for Kriti, she has gained good popularity over the years amongst youth and her recent hit Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya would help. Moreover, Ekta Kapoor has really promoted this film well with a superb trailer and then sustained campaign.

All of this will ensure that Crew takes a good start at the box office. In fact, pre-pandemic, it would have been assured of a double-digit start. Even now it has the potential to go over Rs. 10 crores but then there is Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire arriving too and that too in a much bigger way. Hence, a reasonable number would be Rs. 7-8 crores and considering the current times, it would be healthy enough. But the real surprise would be if it can go beyond that as well. Now that would be something.