Love and other scares

After seeing two really bad weekends this month, Bollywood has bounced back with two hits in last week’s releases — Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana (LSTCK) and 1920 Evil Returns..

After seeing two really bad weekends this month, Bollywood has bounced back with two hits in last week’s releases — Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana (LSTCK) and 1920 Evil Returns. Very unexpectedly, both films have performed well at the box-office, especially Vikram Bhatt’s horror flick. However, trade insiders say that though technically LSTCK is a hit since they’ve recovered the money they put in, the film hasn’t received the best opening at the box-office.

Trade analyst Taran Adarsh says, “Despite heavy word-of-mouth for LSTCK, the business was below par everywhere except in north India. It collected approximately Rs 5.75 cr nett in its opening weekend. On Friday the collections were Rs 1.25 cr, Saturday Rs 2 cr and on Sunday it made Rs 2.5 cr.”

However, 1920, says a trade insider, has done extremely well over the weekend. Trade analyst Komal Nahta says, “1920 is certainly a hit. It has done fabulously at the box-office and people are liking the film.” Taran adds, “The film collected approximately Rs 12.27 cr nett in its opening weekend. The Friday collections were Rs 4.05 cr, Saturday’s were R3.88 cr and Sunday saw earnings of Rs 4.34 cr (estimate).”

Film exhibitor and distributor, Akshaye Rathi says, “In the pan-Indian market, it’s 1920 Evil Returns that has had the biggest impact at the BO. Being a solo Aftab Shivdasani release, and that too in the pre-Diwali period, which like Ramzan is considered to be very dull for films, it has done phenomenal business over the weekend. The numbers are only a reflection of the power of the brands Vikram Bhatt and 1920.”