> Chak De India Movie Review

Domestic B.O.: 'C.D.I.' sizzles at multiplexes?

Winning critical acclaim is one thing. Raking in big money at the box-office is another. It's not right to mix the two. Let me come to the point right away. CHAK DE INDIA has won tremendous acclaim from all quarters. It's an amazing film in all respects. In fact, the makers deserve brownie points for making an unconventional film with the topmost star of Bollywood. But box-office is a different story altogether?

CHAK DE INDIA started slow, picked up on Saturday and showed a jump on Sunday. At multiplexes of big centres, especially at Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore, the film has had a glorious weekend. But the subject and its execution limits it to big city audiences. It's not a film that holds universal appeal [a fact seconded by the Overseas figures]. That explains why its business at single screens ranges from average to below average.

Had CHAK DE INDIA embarked on a 90% + start everywhere [ideally, it should've started with a bang, given the fact that the two giants - YRF and SRK - had been teamed after a hiatus; it can't get bigger than that!] and with Saturday and Sunday figures matching those of Friday, CHAK DE INDIA would've been declared a massive Hit.

But CHAK DE INDIA started on a 40% - 60% note at several screens, but was 20% - 30% at several centres too. Reports from Punjab say that CHAK DE INDIA had a 10% - 20% start at some stations. Things did improve over the weekend, but Monday onwards, while the multiplexes of big centres are performing well [60% +], at centres like Indore [one of the key barometers], the collections at multiplexes on Monday were at par [or lower] with Friday. Have a quick look at the Indore figures -

Theatres Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue
PVR 1,28,000 1,89,000 2,10,500 1,06,600 1,12,000
Velocity 70,100 1,23,000 1,69,500 43,000 56,000
Inox 76,000 1,16,500 2,14,000 565,000 70,000
Adlabs 1,01,200 1,63,000 1,81,800 74,000 81,200

Wednesday, 15th August being Independence Day holiday, CHAK DE INDIA got a big boost and the business at multiplexes was impressive.