‘Zara Hat Ke Zara Bach Ke’ brings respite to Bollywood
The Vicky Kaushal and Sara Ali Khan-starrer is looking to end its first week in theatres with collections of Rs. 35 crore, thanks to minimal competition and an impressive run in the Hindi-speaking belt.
PremiumComedy drama Zara Hat Ke Zara Bach Ke has brought some cheer for Bollywood after a dismal show for several months. The Vicky Kaushal and Sara Ali Khan-starrer is looking to end its first week in theatres with collections of Rs. 35 crore, thanks to minimal competition and an impressive run in the Hindi-speaking belt. Directed by Laxman Utekar, the film has been co-produced by Maddock Films and Jio Studios.
The last quarter of the financial year remained muted for the Hindi film industry, with box office collections estimated at around ₹850 crore, and footfalls down by 30-40% compared to pre-covid days.
Shah Rukh Khan’s Pathaan, which clocked over ₹540 crore at the domestic box office, remained the sole hit of the season, an outlier at a time when most films underperformed.
Box office failures include Akshay Kumar’s Selfiee and Kartik Aaryan’s Shehzada. While most trade experts point out these films were all greenlit and designed pre-pandemic, others say exorbitant ticket pricing in cinemas has played spoilsport.
Even in the South, analysts point out, there had been only two decently profitable films, both released for Pongal in January, Vijay’s Varisu and Ajith’s Thunivu.
To be sure, post-covid recovery has been far more pronounced in the South, where caps on ticket pricing and loyal fans see films through.
While the advent of streaming platforms has undoubtedly dented the theatrical business, there is now a greater expectation from the audience to justify the commitment of time, money and effort that movie-going demands. Even mediocre Hollywood films open and sustain better than Hindi movies, case in point being titles like Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania that made ₹8.10 crore on its opening day in India, higher than any Hindi film released during the quarter, except Pathaan, Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar and Bholaa.
"Exciting news! Mint is now on WhatsApp Channels 🚀 Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest financial insights!" Click here!
