Bollywood's Diverse Friday Faces Box Office Test
Last Friday, November 21, presented Bollywood audiences with a cinematic choice between two starkly different genres. On one hand, audiences could witness the patriotic fervor of Farhan Akhtar's war drama '120 Bahadur', based on the heroic Battle of Rezang La from the 1962 Sino-Indian War. On the other, they could opt for the comedic antics of 'Mastiii 4', featuring the trio of Ritesh Deshmukh, Vivek Oberoi, and Aftab Shivdasani. Both films embarked on their theatrical journey aiming to carve a niche, but their path was soon complicated by the arrival of a new competitor.
Box Office Battle: 120 Bahadur Holds Steady
According to early estimates reported by Sacnilk, Farhan Akhtar's '120 Bahadur' showed signs of resilience in its second week. The film managed to earn an estimated Rs 79 lakh on its 10th day, which was its second Sunday. This performance pushed its total domestic collection to approximately Rs 16.94 crore.
The film's journey has been a rollercoaster. After a strong first weekend where it collected Rs 2.25 crore, Rs 3.85 crore, and Rs 4 crore on its first Friday, Saturday, and Sunday respectively, the weekdays saw a predictable dip. The second Friday was particularly challenging, with collections plummeting to Rs 40 lakh, marking a drop of over 55% from the previous day. However, the weekend brought a sigh of relief. The film witnessed an 85% jump on its second Saturday, collecting around Rs 75 lakh, which was then followed by the Rs 79 lakh collection on Sunday, indicating a stabilizing trend.
Mastiii 4 Struggles to Maintain Laughs and Numbers
In contrast, the comedy sequel 'Mastiii 4' found the going much tougher. As it entered its second week, the film's collections dwindled significantly. Trade reports indicate that on its 10th day (second Sunday), the film could only muster Rs 20 lakhs. This takes its total box office tally to a modest Rs 14.44 crore.
The film's performance in its second weekend was concerning. It collected Rs 20 lakh on its second Friday, which further decreased to Rs 19 lakh on Saturday, before the slight uptick to Rs 20 lakh on Sunday. This flatlining of collections suggests the film is holding onto growth by a very thin thread, failing to attract significant audience numbers beyond its initial release.
The New Challenger: Tere Ishq Mein Reigns Supreme
Complicating the box office scenario for both films was the release of the new romantic drama 'Tere Ishq Mein', starring Dhanush and Kriti Sanon. Released the following Friday, the film has enjoyed a spectacular start, completely overshadowing the holdover releases. Reports indicate that 'Tere Ishq Mein' has raced past the Rs 50 crore mark in just its first three days, a milestone that both '120 Bahadur' and 'Mastiii 4' are yet to achieve even after 10 days in theaters.
This new competition has undoubtedly split the audience share, making it increasingly difficult for the earlier releases to post significant numbers. While the war drama shows a fighting spirit, the comedy seems to be losing its steam, proving that at the box office, it's ultimately the audience's love that dictates the fate of a film.
