After days of heat and dust, fanned by sound-byte-happy politicians, Mumbaikars on Friday ignored dire threats from the Sena and its 82-year-old boss Balasaheb Thackeray and his son Uddhav and turned out in considerable numbers to watch SRK-starrer My Name Is Khan (MNIK). The much-hyped Shiv Sena agitation largely fizzled out, much to the relief of Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan and home minister RR Patil.
Mr Khan’s triumph certainly needed a lot of help from the state. Last-minute arm twisting by the Chavan-Patil duo helped persuade some multiplex owners in Mumbai to release the movie.
According to top government sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, the chief minister’s and home minister’s office spent much of Thursday night contacting cinema owners individually and warning them of serious consequences if they didn’t show faith in the government’s ability to maintain law and order.
“Some were even told that they will have to forfeit their cinema exhibitor’s licence should they fail to open the movie,” a top government official involved in the exercise confided in ET. “Initial cajoling didn’t work. But tough posturing by the government finally yielded,” this official said.
The movie had a good opening with occupancies ranging from 70-80% with some shows recording 100% attendance, commonly referred to as ‘housefull’, in several cities on day one, said multiplex players.
By evening, most multiplexes started screening the movie, which could help it make up for the loss of initial business in the Mumbai territory.
“SRK (as Shah Rukh is usually referred to) has a lot of young fans that ensured the first few shows of the movie had above-average opening in most parts of the country,” said Vishal Kapoor, CEO, Fun Cinemas, a pan-India multiplex chain. He added several cites started reporting houseful shows post-afternoon. The controversy in tinsel town also made SRK and MNIK the most-talked-about movie on Twitter from India.
The SRK-Kajol starrer is co-produced by Dharma Productions and Red Chillies Entertainment. Fox Star Studios bought the distribution rights of the movie for a reported Rs 90 crore. The movie is said to have been released with 1,200 prints worldwide.
The long weekend in north and western India, thanks to the Mahashivratri holiday on Friday, helped the movie garner strong bookings. According to Delhi-based cineplex chain Satyam Cinema’s vice-president, Jayendra Banerjee, by evening most shows were sold out at his theatres. “We expect shows to go houseful till Sunday,” adding the initial response is similar to what Aamir Khan’s 3 Idiots got. “ But he also said it was early to make any final comparisons.
Advance bookings for the movie ranged between 40-50% across theatres on an average. “Advance bookings for the movie are very strong across the country,” added Delhi-based PVR Cinemas’ CEO Amitabh Vardhan.
Another cineplex owner, who did not wish to be quoted, said even in Mumbai the initial shows were well received and the movie is expected to see houseful shows in the next two days. The movie had a sellout opening even in West Bengal.
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